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SECTION VII. 

 TREATMENT DURING GROWTH. 



The Flat System. 



When potatoes are planted on the flat after-cultiva- 

 tion should be commenced early. If the ground is 

 firm from any cause whatever, ordinary harrows or 

 the grubber should be worked as soon as the rows 

 show sufficiently to act as a guide across the field. 

 The tines should be worked to as great a depth as the 

 land has been previously stirred. If this is commenced 

 early the tines may be set so as to be worked very close 

 to the sets; in fact, it is often desirable to work so 

 closely that the broad flanges run underneath the sets 

 to lighten the ground immediately under them. The 

 advantage of having the crop put in in straight 

 rows is now plainly seen ; those sets which are not in 

 the rows are displaced if an attempt is made to move 

 the land as closely to the rows as is desirable. Grub- 

 bing should be done in the early stages of the crop's 

 growth, otherwise the rootlets are broken. The 

 common practice of using tines with the flange set at 

 right angles to a straight stem, so as to form an L, is 

 wrong ; the flanges should be fixed on to a curved 

 stem thus ^J, as the hoe draws into the ground of its 

 own accord, and the stem need not be run so closely 



