250 Subtropical Vegetable-Gardening 



tivation may be deep. If the field is not irrigated, it 

 will be safer to employ level culture. Hill culture is good 

 in a rainy year, but is disastrous in a very dry one. In 

 case of a rainy season, trenches can be made in various 

 parts of the field to relieve it from surplus water. By 

 the time the tubers begin to form, the field should be 

 "laid away." Towards the end the cultivation should 

 be rather shallow. (See upper figure, Plate XII.) 



Harvesting. 



The time to harvest potatoes depends on the condition 

 of the market. Usually the earliest crop brings the best 

 returns ; very early potatoes never fail to sell well. The 

 marketing is done in ordinary barrels. This is a staple 

 crop, so it is not necessary to pay much attention to 

 fine stencils and nice finish of containers. The buyers 

 pay more attention to the product offered for sale than 

 to the style in which it comes. 



It is not profitable to raise large quantities for the local 

 market, unless one is engaged in the general vegetable 

 business. The hotels throughout the South consume a 

 considerable quantity, and their trade is worth soliciting. 

 The time of harvesting is determined by the condition of 

 the tubers ; if the skin peels off easily, they will not carry 

 to a distant market, and be in a presentable condition. 

 For midwinter delivery the market expects a certain 

 amount of peel to be knocked off ; this insures the product 

 as new. 



During the time that the crop brings a fancy price, 

 it will pay to dig the potatoes by hand with a fork, but 

 when the profits are small and the crops are large it will be 



