58 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



allow them to touch any box, bag or bin where scabby pota- 

 toes have been kept. All treated tubers should be planted, 

 to avoid danger from the poison on them. 



Summary. 



Keeping in mind, as I stated at the outset, that there is 

 no best method for growing potatoes more than any other 

 crop, and that conditions must modify practice, the follow- 

 ing are the general points to be observed in successful 

 potato culture. 



The soil must be thoroughly prepared and fined. Wherever 

 possible there should be both fall and spring plowing. The 

 potato crop seems to demand a complete fertilizer for its 

 best growth. Farm manures are best applied broadcast, and 

 either plowed in or worked in with a suitable harrow. For 

 most localities in New England flat culture is to be recom- 

 mended. If the seed is to be dropped by hand the furrow 

 should be opened with a shovel plow ; if the planting is 

 done by machinery it should be set so as to place the seed 

 2 to 4 inches below the surface. The rows should be 30 to 

 36 inches apart and the seed dropped 12 to 16 inches apart 

 in the row. The light application of commercial fertilizers 

 (500 to 1,000 pounds to the acre) for starting the crop will 

 in most cases prove remunerative. This should be applied 

 in the drill, care being taken that the fertilizer does not 

 come in contact with the seed. 



The seed should be well grown, medium sized and care- 

 fully kept in the dark and in the cold until time for planting. 

 The seed should be soaked for two hours before cutting in 

 a solution of corrosive sublimate (formula 1) or formaline 

 (formula la) ; because of its less poisonous qualities forma- 

 line is to be preferred. After being treated, the seed should 

 be spread out and carefully dried, and not allowed to come in 

 contact with anything that has been used as a receptacle for 

 scabby potatoes. This will prevent inoculating the soil 

 with the fungus which produces scab, but will not kill the 

 fungus already present in the soil. The seed should be cut 

 into as large pieces as practicable, with not less than two 

 eyes to each piece. 



