POTATO CULTUKK. 143 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



Potato-Growing as a Specialty. 



If the raising were confined to a smaller number of farms, 

 and those who did raise them planted a good many and made 

 a business of it, it seems to me, for several reasons, as 

 though they would make more money, and there need be no 

 loss to those who now raise an acre or two, if they should 

 give up the business to those who go into it largely, for they 

 can turn their attention more to some other special branch. 



The day has passed when there is any necessity for such a 

 diversity of crops when it is necessary for a man to raise 

 almost every thing he wants, on his own farm. It was neces- 

 sary once, when the country was new, and there were no. 

 railroads or markets, and not much money ; but now let it 

 go, to a certain extent, along with the stage-coach and 

 scythe, and let us improve in this respect as much as we have 

 in our means of communication and in our agricultural 

 implements. 



When I speak of the potato-grower as a specialist I do not 

 mean that he should grow just potatoes and nothing else, 

 but, rather, that he should make that his leading crop his 

 main source of income. Other crops must be grown with 

 them, of course, to make up a rotation. 



Let rue give some of the reasons why the large grower of 

 potatoes, who makes this his chief business, can make more 

 money. First, he can afford to have all the tools and con- 

 trivances that are made for saving labor, and taking the 

 best care of the crop, and marketing it in nice shape, such as 

 have been spoken of in previous chapters. The man who 

 raises only two or three acres can not afford all these expen- 

 sive labor-saving tools, and therefore can not make as much 



