232 



THE ESSENTIALS OF AGRICULTURE 



before planting root crops, because the decomposing manure is 

 apt to force a heavy growth of top, and if the water supply is 

 not abundant, the roots or tubers will not be well developed. 



FIG. 1 10. An Irish-potato plant 



The potatoes are much-thickened underground stems ; the roots extend much deeper 

 and wider than the region where the tubers are formed 



Also the larva of the insect known as the June bug or May 

 beetle is likely to infest freshly manured soil and to injure 

 the roots of growing plants, often even killing the plants. 



