POTATOES, EARLY. 



POTATOES, MAIN CROP. 



immediately about the crowns of the 

 potatoes ; earthing up the latter will not 

 be required. The radishes will draw in 

 March ; the potatoes early in May. 



Potatoes, Early, in Open 

 Ground. 



For early crops, plant as early in Jan- 

 uary as the ground can be found in fair 

 working condition. A small breadth of 

 the ash-leaved kidney should be planted on 

 a south border, or in the warmest and most 

 sheltered situation at command, to furnish 

 an early supply. In planting, let the 

 ground be neatly levelled, then, beginning 

 at one side, dig it over about 6 inches 

 deep, and put in the sets in the openings 

 at proper distances, which must be regu- 

 lated by the growth of the variety. The 

 lines for the early kinds, as ash-leaved, &c., 

 which form but small tops, may be about 

 20 inches apart, leaving about 9 inches 

 between the sets. The sets should be 

 covered about 6 inches, leaving the soil 

 over them as open and loose as possible. 

 On strong, heavy land the ash-leaved and 

 other weakly growers should not be covered 

 more than 4 inches. Planting in autumn 

 has been strongly recommended, and on 

 light, well-drained land, it may safely be 

 practised the crop will probably be both 

 earlier and more abundant than from late 

 winter or spring planting. All things con- 

 sidered, planting early in spring is to be 

 preferred. 



Potatoes, Main Crop. 



Soil. A deep, thoroughly drained, light 

 sandy loam, or peaty soil, is most suitable 

 for the potato, although there are many 

 sorts specially suitable for cold and heavy 

 soils. The ground selected should be in 

 fair condition, from having been moderately 

 manured for some exhausting green crop in 

 the previous season. But if the only land 

 to be had is so poor as to render it neces- 



sary to apply manure in order to insure a 

 fair crop, then use charred vegetable refuse, 

 or a very light dressing of well-decayed 

 farm or stable-yard manure. The ground 

 should be trenched two spades deep, and 

 ridged up early in autumn ; if manure is 

 applied, this should be well mixed with 

 the soil. Charred vegetable refuse, how- 

 ever, may be applied about the sets when 

 they are planted. A slight sprinkling 

 scattered along the trench before planting, 

 and then used in covering the sets, is said 

 to have proved a partial preventive of 

 disease. 



When to Plant. The main crop should 

 be got in late in March, or early in 

 April. As the ground is more likely 

 to be dry at this time, they may be 

 dibbled in whole, thus yielding food 

 for the young shoot till it can find its 

 own a most reasonable assumption, and 

 worthy of adoption. When potatoes are 

 cut, it is best to expose them for a day or 

 two, to render the surface of the cut 

 callous. In planting them, let it be in 

 rows 2 feet apart ; or, if space is not 

 limited, allow 3 feet, which admits of 

 planting later crops between, before they 

 are taken up. Although little is gained 

 by allowing too much room, much is lost 

 by allowing too little ; for root crops are 

 apt to run all to haulm or top if too 

 crowded. Two feet from row to row, and 

 15 inches from plant to plant, is a good 

 average. 



Mode of Planting. If the ground is 

 light or dry, the tubers, either entire or 

 in pieces, as may be preferred, may be 

 dibbled in ; that is, a line is stretched 

 where the row is to be, on one side of 

 which the holes are made with a potato 

 dibber this is a pole or shaft 3 feet long, 

 having a cross-piece of wood on the top for 

 the handle, and a tread for the foot 8 

 inches from the lower end, and of suf- 

 ficient thickness tu make a hole that a 



