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most thorough disintegration of land ; consequently, 

 whenever opportunity admits, land on which potatoes 

 are to be planted should, at any rate, be ploughed 

 early in autumn. Even on land which can, in most 

 seasons, be relied upon to come down to a good tilth 

 by the time for planting, it is a wise precaution to get 

 the work in as forward condition as possible, as in wet 

 springs the few fine drying days may not be sufficient 

 to work the whole of the land required into a suitable 

 seed-bed. Also, in exceedingly dry springs, land which 

 is ploughed for the first time frequently becomes hard 

 and harsh, unfavourable for the growth oi potatoes. 

 When in the furrow through winter, the soil is brought 

 under the influence of climatic variations, especially 

 frost, which have a beneficial effect, as the particles are 

 shattered apart, allowing free circulation of air. Land 

 brought to a fine consistency by frost does not anneal 

 again readily, as the air produces changes in its 

 physical and, probably, chemical properties which 

 permit it to dry quickly after rain without forming 

 a paste. The necessary treatment of the soil is very 

 dependent on its nature, the condition in which it is 

 found at the time the preparation commences, and the 

 rotation of cropping in which it takes a place. 



Systems of Planting. 



Before dealing with the preparation of the land, 

 according to the rotation of cropping pursued, it is 

 well to mention the methods of planting most commonly 

 adopted. These are the Ridge or Drill, the Flat, and 



