100 POTATO CULTUEE. 



of the rows where the tools do not do good work. We keep 

 our crop pretty clean, and have for many years, by working 

 in the line given above. Of course, we do not keep every 

 weed down. Here and there one (some wet years quite a 

 few) will come up in the hills. These we pull when they 

 show above the tops of the potatoes, if the soil is wet, or cut 

 them off if it is dry so pulling would disturb the tubers. But 

 we haven't done very much in this line for some years. We 

 have no iron-clad rule on this point, except that our potatoes 

 shall be well cared for. This can be pretty thoroughly done ' 

 by machinery, rapidly and cheaply ; but if hand work is ever 

 necessary, they get it. 



I have tried to give you our practice ; but a little preaching 

 has been worked in, I notice. We will now consider more 

 fully 



SOME QUESTIONS CONNECTED WITH CULTIVATION. 



What do we Cultivate for? 



To keep weeds down, and the surface mellow and fine, so 

 as to let air in and check evaporation from below. These 

 are the main reasons. By " cultivation " I mea.n, of course, 

 all stirring of the soil harrowing as well as the work done 

 by the weeder and different cultivators. Have you ever 

 stopped to think how much damage weeds do ? There is no 

 question on these points ; they eat up plant-food and deprive 

 your potatoes of it just as certainly as a rat eating some of 

 the oats fed your horse cheats the horse out of some of his 

 food. If you let them grow they will eat, and you pay the full 

 bill in potatoes. And, what may be still more important 

 some years, weeds will drink. And do you know how much 

 they will drink ? Prof. Hunt told us at an institute this 

 winter that weeds that would weigh one pound (dry weight) 

 had evaporated from the soil 300 pounds of water. Think of 

 this when you let weeds grow, particularly in a dry year. 

 Potatoes need abundant moisture; weeds rob them of it. 

 Are you going to let the tramps eat and drink at your ex- 



