132 POTATO CULTURE. 



same general principle, and I feel entirely justified in saying, 

 after several years' actual use, that it is the most perfect 

 digger on earth to-day. This is the Hoover. You see from 

 the picture that it is somewhat complicated and costly, and 

 it takes power to draw it. These are the objections. They 

 are nothing to me, but important to many. I can use it, 

 and never break down, because I see to it that every thing 

 is right, and tight and well oiled. I understand every part 

 thoroughly; can detect the first click, if any thing goes 

 wrong. The cost is nothing to one growing as many pota- 

 toes as I do. The interest and wear are very little by the 

 side of money saved by doing the digging all myself, and 

 having nothing to pay out, and being able to hurry up the 

 work. Two strong horses might draw this digger on light 

 soil ; in fact,* I have thus drawn it ; but to go right along on 

 heavier soil, or when dry, and to let it down so as to get 

 under all tubers and not cut any, one wants three or four 

 horses. I use four one team ahead of the other, so we can 

 take oft' the front team and use them on the wagon to draw 

 in a load and bring out more boxes from time to time, leav- 

 ing the other team with the digger. 



Now, just what will this digger do V On my land, except 

 on two or three little hillsides, it will go right along, unless 

 it is too wet, and take every potato out of the earth, shake all 

 earth off and leave the tubers in a nice narrow row on top, 

 where they can be picked up faster than after the best hand- 

 digging. You see, soil, potatoes, vines, stones, and every 

 thing go up over the machine, as the shovel runs under the 

 row, and an endless chain runs up over and around the 

 grate. The earth works out, and the potatoes are left abso- 

 lutely on top. There is an arrangement for turning weeds 

 and vines to one side, in the rear ; but I know nothing about 

 this. I took it off as soon as the machine got here. We 

 don't raise weeds, neither on paper nor in practice. The 

 vines are dead before we dig, and do no harm going over 

 with the tubers. Now, this is for varieties we grow that do 



