CULTIVATION OF POTATOES 409 



drop. This latter type is regarded as more accurate, but is 

 slightly more expensive to operate. These potato planters 

 are equipped with a shovel which opens the furrow into which 

 the seed pieces are dropped, and with disks which run behind 

 and throw the earth on the row to cover them. A marker 

 is provided to mark the next row as one is being planted. 



Figurfi 138. — Tlic pumto planter. A good machine to use wliere several acics 

 of this crop are to be planted. 



555. Cultivation. The cultivation of potatoes is not very 

 different from the cultivation of corn, except that potatoes 

 planted in the ordinary way, from 3 to 5 inches deep, may 

 be harrowed before the plants are large enough to cultivate, 

 without danger of injury, as is not so true of corn. As 

 soon as the rows can be seen, potatoes are commonly culti- 

 vated with the ordinary corn cultivator. The deepest culti- 

 vating should be done the first time through; for no injury 

 is done if young plants are covered in the operation. In 

 fact, covering is often practiced to protect early potatoes 

 from a prospective frost. The subsequent cultivation should 

 be sufficient to keep the surface soil in good mellow condition 



