POTATO CULTURE. 37 



ground around it on all sides equally. It would not come in 

 contact with its neighbors at 7 inches on one side and 16 on 

 the other. But, practically, drills 32 inches apart are about 

 as close as I can use a horse to the best advantage. Some 

 do reduce the width to 28 or 30 inches ; but most large 

 growers do not come below 32. Thus from the necessities of 

 the case w r e are prevented from planting in the best poss.ble 

 way. We shall have to let the roots in the drills fight a little 

 over their feeding-ground. Planting 32 x 32 is not best, as 

 shown in this and succeeding chapters; that is, in connec- 

 tion with the most advanced practices. Roots have a won- 

 derful knowledge of where plant-food exists in the soil. 

 Perhaps the roots along the drills will stop at 7 inches and 

 the others at 16. Who knows V If so, they will make it 

 average. 



