THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 325 



a community of small potato growers it is possible for them to own 

 machinery jointly, and thus avoid any large expense to the individual 

 farmer. The two most expensive machines connected with potato 

 growing are the planter and the digger. A word of caution about 

 the type of planter is perhaps desirable. There are some planters 

 which pick up the seed potatoes by means of a prong or fork which 

 breaks the skin of the tuber. This exposes the potato to any germs 

 of potato diseases which may be present in the soil. Furthermore, it 

 carries any germ disease that may be on some of the seed potatoes to 

 others. There are planters which pick up the potatoes in such 

 a way as not to break the skin. This point is especially important 

 in planting whole seed. In planting cut seed there is still the danger 

 of transferring the disease from one piece of potato to another. What- 

 ever planter may be used, some one should ride on the machine in 

 order to see that it works regularly, so as to give as nearly a perfect 

 stand as possible. The improved planters of today open the furrow, 

 drop the seed, cover it, firm the dirt over the seed, and mark the 

 next furrow. Such a planter is drawn by two horses. Experiments 

 with potatoes planted in rows all the way from 36 to 42 inches apart 

 indicate that the best distance depends upon the seasonal conditions 

 and type of soil ; it is a problem for each grower to solve for himself. 

 The distance apart the potatoes should be planted in the row also 

 depends so much upon the variety, the fertility of the soil, the availa- 

 bility of water, etc., that each farmer must determine this from his 

 own experience. 



Time of Planting. Each community is the best judge of the 

 proper date for planting. Where potatoes are grown for the early 

 market the aim is to plant as early as possible, without subjecting the 

 young plants to severe cold. The crop should be planted at such a 

 date as to bring the stage of growth during which the tubers are 

 rapidly developing at a time when there is ordinarily an adequate 

 supply of moisture. The month when dry weather is most certain 

 varies with the locality, and each potato grower should so time his 

 planting as to be least affected by drought. Where the growing 

 season is long the crop that is to be stored over winter should be 

 planted very late, so that it may remain in the ground until cool 

 weather. On the other hand, where the season is short, late varieties 

 should be planted in time to ripen before frost. 



Depth of Planting. The roots of a young potato plant grow, 

 not directly from the seed piece, but from the underground joints 

 or nodes of the stem. From these underground nodes also grow the 

 short stems which bear the tubers at their extremities. Hence the 

 seed pieces should be placed deep enough in the soil to permit several 

 of these joints to form below the surface, so as to afford room for an 

 ample supply of roots and tuber-bearing stems to grow. Many experi- 

 ments have been made to ascertain the best depth for planting. The 

 results, with some exceptions, favor planting not less than 4 inches 

 deep. The favorable effects of deep planting were especially marked 

 on well^prepared, friable soil and in dry seasons. Very deep planting 

 is open to objection because of the increased labor of harvesting and 



