POTATO CULTURE. 67 



first, and then above, and lapping over, and finally " topping 

 out" with a layer of forkfuls. The object is, to put the 

 straw on so as to shed water. We have always accomplished 

 this without covering the pile with boards. Then we put 

 about four inches of earth over the straw. This earth 

 should be taken out 2-fc feet back from the base of the potato 

 pile, all around, leaving this base to build the cover on. I 

 mark out, right around, with a line, and cut it down with an 

 old ax. When this earth (4 inches) is frozen partly, and 

 before there is any risk of a heavy freeze, we put on another 

 layer of straw, in the same way as at firsthand then some ten 

 or twelve inches of earth. Care is taken not to cover any 

 more than enough at the base, so as to make the pile steep 

 enough to shed water well. We top out well with earth ; 

 pat down the sides smoothly with shovel, then don't think 

 any more about it till some cold day, say in the latter part of 

 February, when the pile is bare of snow and the ground 

 frozen solid (clean off snow and let it freeze if necessary). 

 Then draw out a big lot of straw, or clover haulm is better, 

 if you have it, and cover the pile all over, and 4 feet out all 

 around, deeply, two feet at least. This will keep the frost 

 in. Sun and wind can not get at it. Rains will wet the 

 straw, and then dry out before another storm. The other 

 day, when wife and I were out walking about the farm, 

 without any wraps, it was quite warm, and the frost was all 

 out of the earth, and the ground was well settled. I ran my 

 hand down through the straw on the potato pile, and the 

 earth on the under side was as hard as the day we put it on 

 not thawed the least particle. You see the point get the 

 potatoes cold as soon as possible, and keep them so. Mulch- 

 ing will keep frost in till into April. This is less work than 

 so much attention to the cellar, with me ; and for several 

 years, with the exception of one warm winter, we have had 

 perfect success. That winter we did as well as we could in 

 the cellar, or better, perhaps. No ventilation whatever is 

 given the pile. The first years we put in tile ventilators 



