126 



The top of the ridge should therefore be somewhat 

 flat. On heavy land and in wet climates the ridge 

 should be formed narrow at the top, so that the water 

 may be conducted to the furrow. When growing 

 potatoes on a large breadth, the three-row moulder is 

 found useful, because of the expedition with which the 

 work is accomplished. A stout .steerage horse-hoe 

 frame, which carries hoes or mould boards, as occasion 

 requires, is a most useful implement, as almost all the 

 horse labour required by the crop can be effected 

 by it. From three to four acres can be moulded up with 

 an ordinary double-breasted plough in a day, but from 

 ten to twelve may be ridged by a three-row moulder. 

 It is, of course, important to mould up thoroughly, 

 because if not, many of the r tubers turn green by 

 exposure and are spoiled for culinary purposes. Some 

 varieties shove out of the ground more than others. 

 After moulding is effected there is no opportunity to 

 hoe the ground, and the further cleaning is restricted 

 to the pulling out of stout annual weeds. 



The Ridge System. 



The treatment of the crop where the potatoes are 

 planted on the ridge, or, as it is sometimes termed, in 

 drills, differs slightly, as there is less chance to use the 

 horse-hoe. The saddleback harrows are very useful 

 to clear the ridges, and lighten them before the crop 

 appears above ground. Small weeds, which would 

 otherwise prove injurious to the crop, are thus killed 

 before they can do damage, and the cost of doing it is 



