486 THE FARMERS' HANDBOOK. 



The following are manurial recommendations for various districts: — 



District. Manure Recommended per Acre. 



North Coast .. ... 2 cwt. superphosphate. 



or 

 1J cwt. superphosphate and 1^ cwt. bonedust. 



North Coast Plateau ... 1£ cwt. superphosphate and H cwt. bonedust. 



South Coast ... ... 2 cwt. superphosphate and h cwt. muriate of potash. 



Northern Tablelands ... 2 cwt. superphosphate and h cwt. muriate of potash on 



sandy soils. 

 1^ cwt. superphosphate and I3 cwt. bonedust. 



Central Tablelands ... l^cwt. superphosphate and 1£ cwt. bonedust. 



Southern Tablelands ... 1 cwt. superphosphate, 1 cwt. bonedust, and | cwt. muriate 



of potash. 



When to Harvest. 



The spring crop on the coast is grown for earliness, and the tubers are 

 harvested when considered large enough to market. At this stage the haulms 

 are green, and the young tubers are very soft. Very often the potatoes could 

 be profitably left for another week or so, because being nearer maturity they 

 arrive in a much better condition on the market, and the additional weight, 

 even in this short time, is considerable. Some of the potatoes dug very 

 early present a very poor appearance on arrival at market; being devoid of 

 skin, they are much bruised and black in colour. 



Other than the spring crop, the time to harvest is determined by the 

 dying-off of the tops and the maturity of the tubers. If the tops have been 

 destroyed by frost, it will be necessary to allow the tubers to remain in the 

 ground until the skin is firm and does not peel on handling. 



Harvesting. 



The most common method of harvesting is digging with the pronged 

 digging fork, but digging machines have been increasingly popular in recent 

 years. 



Digging machines are of two types — (a) English. — The principle is for a 

 share to pass under the row of potatoes, the earth and tubers being thrown 

 to one side by revolving arms at the back, so that the tubers are left exposed, 

 ready for picking up. The machines are light in draught, but the large 

 spread given the tubers is one of their worst faults, (b) American. — The 

 principle is for a share to pass under the rows, the tubers, together with the 

 earth, then being carried on to a revolving apron. This apron, which is of 

 cross bars, arranged up and down alternately, revolves rapidly, being given 

 a sifting action by elliptical sprockets. The earth passes through the bars 

 and falls back into the furrow already dug, the tubers passing over the back 

 and being deposited in a row on the loose earth recently dug. 



