POTATO CULTURE. 93 



with a load every day ; and the net profit on the last six acres 

 dug would have bought twice -as many acres as the crop grew 

 on. Actually, I did not dare tell my best friends how we 

 were making money, because I knew they would think I 

 was excited and exaggerating. I could tell you of many such 

 lessons. Could I live my life over it seems now as though I 

 would just do my best, and never worry a bit. But, friends, 

 there is a great deal for you to do before you fold your hands 

 and say you have done what you could ; and every year we 

 are finding more and more that we can do. Nature wants 

 to help you ; but she has her fixed laws, which she will not 

 change one iota. She has given us brains to study out such 

 matters; we must use them or take the consequences. 

 Providence will never keep weeds from drinking up the 

 moisture or eating the plant-food. She will never keep the 

 surface of the soil stirred for you, although she has arranged 

 so that, if you do these things for yourself, in the best way 

 and on time, your reward shall be great. 



How we Care for the Crop. 



I will now tell you briefly how we care for our potatoes, 

 beginning right after planting ; then later we will talk over 

 some of the whys and wherefores of our practice. 



If the planter was used to put in the crop, the drills all 

 show plainly, so one can cultivate as well before the potatoes 

 come up as after ; in fact, better. Going over the land so 

 much with horses and planter has packed it pretty solidly 

 between the rows, and so we cultivate deeply and thoroughly 

 the first thing tear up the soil just all we can. Within a 

 week or so after planting, we harrow the field lengthwise 

 with the Thomas smoothing-harrow, using two horses and 

 taking three rows at once, and keeping horses between rows. 

 That is, we harrow the drill between horses, and one each 

 side. Within four or five days, say, we harrow lengthwise 

 again ; and then, after about as many more days, crosswise. 

 It is well to drive fast, as the harrow then levels the ridges 



