SOWING AND PLANTING 39 



The ground was flat-hoed once a week from the time 

 the plants were up in row till the time they were earthed 

 up a matter of three to four weeks. 



Earthing up. The earthing or moulding up of the 

 late sorts of potatoes was done twice, at an interval of 

 about a fortnight. 



Great care was exercised in doing it. (1) A fine day 

 was chosen when the soil was in a workable condition ; 

 (2) the soil was brought up from midway between the 

 rows of potatoes so as not to cut off or injure the plants 

 or roots ; (3) the soil was broken up evenly and into 

 moderately sized particles not brought up and left in 

 large and irregular lumps ; (4) the tops of the ridges 

 when finished off were roughly semi-circular in shape. 



By this method of earthing up, very few tubers grew 

 out of the soil ; and potatoes earthed up in this way 

 are very much less subject to disease. 



If, after a heavy rain, the soil on the ridges had been 

 beaten down and was likely to become ' caked ', a rake 

 was lightly drawn over them from the bottom of the 

 ridges upwards. 



After the final earthing up, the depth of the trenches 

 between the rows was approximately from eight to 

 ten inches. The soil in the trenches or furrows was hoed 

 once or twice till the growth of the potato haulm was 

 too big. Weeds were not allowed to grow at any time. 

 As soon as a weed, likely to interfere with the growth of 

 the crop, was seen, it was pulled out. 



Prevention of disease. A watchful eye was kept for 

 the potato disease. As soon as a diseased leaf appeared, 

 it was at once cut off. Where the haulm was thick it 

 was well thinned out (judiciously of course) to admit 

 light and air. This treatment retarded the development 

 of the disease. 



