CHAPTER XXL 



PLANTING AND CULTURE OF POTATOES. 



ITH the ground ready, and the seed, we still must 

 decide on depth and width of planting before we 

 begin operations. I have planted on the top of 

 the ground, and covered with a hoe, and I have 

 planted to the very bottom of the furrow. The 

 best depth, all things considered on my farm, is 

 four inches. A very little deeper would be better than shallower. 

 Any shallower than this, with our level culture, would give us 

 some greened potatoes. Any deeper increases the cost of digging 

 or the power required, if you dig with a machine, and does not 

 show any increase in yield. Occasionally we find men advising 

 deeper planting than this. I think they must have very light, 

 sandy soils. I should think six inches deep might do on such 

 land, and possibly in a dry year might show an increased yield. 

 Our plan is sensible, at least. We put the seed about in the middle 

 of the plowed ground. Plow eight or nine inches deep mostly, 

 and plant about half as deep. This gives plenty of chance for 

 tillage above the seed without disturbing it, and the roots start out 

 from the young plants very naturally, with the food around and 

 slightly below them. But always remember, this is for well- 

 drained soil. You must not plant this deep on undrained, heavy 

 soil. Even on my drained land, some seed rotted this wet year. 

 On my soil, such potatoes as Hebron, Rose, Freeman and 

 New Queen, do best planted in drills about thirty-two inches apart. 

 Three feet is a little wide for them. I can grow rather more 

 bushels at thirty -two inches. And then they cover the ground 

 better- more mulching. You will notice, I am very much in favor 

 of keeping ground covered. If the drills are near enough to- 

 gether, so when the tops have about made their growth they 

 cover the surface like a growth of heavy clover, it suits me exactly. 

 I think there is a slight gain in fertility, and a greater gain in a 

 dry year, from the shade lessening evaporation. After the tops 

 about cover the ground, we cannot stir the surface, but must 

 depend on the shade to mulch it. You can grow larger potatoes 

 by putting drills further apart, in a favorable season. Giving the 

 plants more room to feed in, increases the size of the tubers, 

 usually, up to a certain point. But very large potatoes have not 

 sold any better with me than medium ones of quite uniform size. 

 A single eye, planted thirty -two inches each way from neighbors, 

 will give much larger tubers than 13 x 32, as I plant for market ; 

 (176) 



