POTATO CULTUKE. 49 



this strip, the iron shown at Fig. 3 is fastened by a screw- 

 bolt, leaving it loose enough to turn easily. Having marked 

 to the end of the rows, step off the plows, raise them up by 

 the handles, turn the team around, then turn this strip 

 around, fasten with a pin, let down plows, get on the seat, 

 and drive on. The length of this strip, from the center of 

 bolt on which it turns, to the end where the iron is attached, 

 should be just twice the distance between two rows ; that is, 

 if rows are three feet apart, make the strip six feet long. 

 The sharp points of the iron make a plain mark on rolled 

 ground (and the ground should be rolled to insure even mark- 

 ing), and all the driver has to do is to keep the pole exactly 

 in line with his mark ; then if your first mark is straight, all 

 your rows will be straight and of equal distance apart. You 

 want a hoe at each end of the lot, if it is fenced, to dig out 

 the end hills with, as one can not mark quite to the fence. 

 The points of the plows should be set under the axle, and 

 the plows should be set to run on the points a little ; other- 

 wise, in going through a hollow they would ride on the heels 

 and make the mark too shallow. 



The strips, D, D, in Fig. 1, are set as I use them, to mark 

 rows 32 inches apart. The rows can be made wider by set- 

 ting these pieces further apart, and using longer pieces to 

 bolt the plows together with. If you mark as deep as I do 

 (fully four inches), you can not well make the rows nearer 

 together than 32 inches, as there will not be room for the 

 earth to be piled between them. The wheels I use are 52 

 inches in diameter. The plows used were 10 0* Oliver 

 chilled. The slanting lansides make the marks nearly V- 

 shaped, and fairly good to drop in ; but a Y-shaped follower, 

 or cultivator-tooth, following in the rear of each plow, and 

 making a little mark along in the center of the furrow, to 

 drop the seed in, would help about getting the pieces in line. 

 Dropping in a furrow, one may vary the rows quite a little. 

 With me this marker is a tool made partly from other tools 

 not in use at the time. The plows and frame cost about $26. 



