180 



when digging a heavy cropping late variety, such as 

 the Wonder, at twenty- eight shillings, where the land 

 is strong, and the potatoes difficult to free from the 

 soil. Weeds are a hindrance to the diggers, as they 

 impede the work. The roots of couch grass are most 

 troublesome, as they form a network from which it is 

 very difficult to shake the potatoes. 



When digging potatoes with a fork the tubers should 

 be kept closely together so as to facilitate the picking 

 up. With this view, the tubers from three or four 

 rows should be thrown by the' fork into one line. 

 Skilled diggers can collect the potatoes into a line of 

 two feet in width without hindering their progress. 

 As the cost of picking up the potatoes on an average 

 crop exceeds that of raising them with the fork, it is 

 obvious that it is important to keep them close together. 

 Before picking up the tubers, the tops, haulm, or shaws 

 should be gathered together and placed on one side. 

 When doing this, the tubers should be shaken from 

 them. 



The Plough. 



Raising potatoes by the aid of a plough fitted with 

 potato breasts and raisers, is profitably done under 

 some conditions. The plough should not be used 

 when the potatoes are dug " green " that is, when the 

 skin is not firmly set as it is easily rubbed off, thus 

 spoiling their appearance and market value. Where 

 land is very hard a considerable portion of the tubers 

 are crushed in the operation, but on loose land the 

 potatoes can be turned out quickly, and with little 



