CHAPTER XIX. 



PREPARING FOR POTATOES. 



N my farm can be found almost every variety of soil, 

 from muck and sand to heavy clay. The land that, 

 one year with another, brings the largest crop of 

 potatoes, and has for many years, I would class as 

 a rather heavy loam. You could not call it a 

 sandy or gravelly loam. It is heavy enough to not 

 be leachy, and to stand drouth well, and still is light enough to 

 drain fairly well. It is just about on the line between soil that 

 will pay for draining with tiles, and that which will not. The 

 subsoil is moderately heavy, of course, like the soil, but not so as 

 to hold water long unless puddled. This land would be seriously 

 injured by being tramped by stock when wet, or being worked 

 too wet. In such a season as the present unusually w r et one, it 

 would be better if all tile-drained. I could give you the percent- 

 age of clay in it, but this description will be better, I think. 

 Next in value comes my gravelly loam. This has more gravel in 

 it than the other, and drains quicker and better. In a very wet 

 season it is the best, and grand. I have dug at the rate of 400 

 bushels per acre in such years, on the small gravelly spots. But 

 in a dry, hot season they will burn out and not produce half as 

 much as somewhat heavier, cooler soil. My sandy loam, which is 

 considerably lighter than the best land, from a greater percentage 

 of sand, is good. The potatoes come out nice, bright, and clean. 

 It is easier worked than any other soil we have. The crop on it 

 is quite uniform, but not as large as on rather heavier loam. If 

 I had unlimited quantities of manure I would take the sandy 

 loam. If the sandy loam had a heavier subsoil it might be 

 stronger. Mine has a light subsoil. The ideal potato farm that 

 I would pick out would average rather heavier than what is com- 

 monly called sandy loam, enough heavier so that a good farmer 

 would think it wise to tile drain parts of it, and then I would tile 

 every rod. Yes, I would, after this year's experience. Of the 

 last eight weeks in May and June it has rained almost constantly 

 during seven. With my land all tiled two rods apart, sandy loam 

 and all, I would have been able to go through even this season 

 all right, or with slight loss. We have heavier land than the 

 loam mentioned. Perhaps the next grade might be termed clay 

 loam. In this the percentage of clay is larger, and tile drains 

 are needed every time for potatoes, or wheat or clover. Well 

 drained two rods apart, this does fairly well. Some years it will 



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