ROOT CHOI'S. 



1:85 



The spring crop should be planted as soon as the severe frosts are over, 

 which is usually from July tu September, and the [all crop in February. 

 They should be planted in drills a feet apart, and when it is lound necessary 

 to irrigate, furrows may be drawn midway between the rows and water 

 allowed to run until the ground is well soaked. A.s before stated, two water- 

 ings, with good cultivation, should be sufficient for any spring crop of 

 potatoes. The autumn crop will naturally require more waterings during 

 its earlier stages, as the ground at this time of the year is drier and the 

 heat more intense. 



Tuber showing second growth. 



Second growth mostly occurs when rain follows a very dry period, and 

 it has been rather frequent of late years, owing to the lateness of the mon- 

 soonal rains. A similar condition often occurs when potatoes are irrigated 

 after a dry spell. 



Manuring. 



The use of fertilisers by potato-growers should be common farm practice, 

 for their value has been proved. 



Nitrogen is the most expensive of artificial manures: but, fortunately for 

 tin farmer, it can be obtained from the air by the growth of Ifegum -. 

 - : h as field peas or clover. These, when ploughed under, add to the soil 

 nitrogen at no other expense than that incurred for seed and labour. In 

 addition to the nitrogen supplied, a large amount of organic matter is added, 

 which has an important influence on the soil's fertility. When land is 

 cropped for a number of years, unless organic matter is added in some form, 

 its humus becomes exhausted, and a marked change takes place in its char- 

 acter. It loses its fine friable nature, and has not the same power of absorb- 

 ing and retaining moisture. In other words, it has lost what is generally 

 known as " condition." The loss of retentive capacity is largely the cause of 

 the noticeably poorer yields obtained from some soils after several years' 

 working. 



If farmyard manure is to be used, it should be partly fermented to destroy 

 weed seeds, and should be incorporated in the soil some time previous to the 

 planting of the crop. The use of fresh farmyard manure encourages Scab. 



