102 THE CULTURE OF VEGETABLES 



planted early in March, the crop should come off in time for Turnips, 

 for which the land will be in good heart, and they should be sown as 

 quickly as possible after the clearing of the Potatoes. 



Amongst the many subjects that open out before us at this point 

 are the selection and preparation of the sets. Why are smallish 

 tubers chosen in one case and planted whole, and why, in another 

 case, are large tubers chosen and divided before planting, to make 

 two or more sets of each ? Because there is a principle on which 

 sound practice rests, and it is this : the number of shoots starting 

 from any one growing point must be limited, for if they become 

 crowded the crop will be less than the land is capable of producing ! 

 Keeping this principle in view, we proceed to remark, in the first 

 place, that carefully selected seed of moderate size may be planted as 

 it comes from the store without any preparation whatever, and with 

 a fair prospect of a profitable result. But certain varieties produce 

 few tubers of seed size, and when large they must be divided in such 

 a manner as to insure at least two eyes in each set. As a matter of 

 fact, profitable crops are grown in the most simple way ; the seed is 

 neither sprouted nor disbudded, and with a well-made soil and a 

 favourable season, the return is ample, and all claims are satisfied. 

 Potato-growing entails much labour, therefore it is important to 

 distinguish between tasks that are necessary and those that are 

 optional. 



But where the time and strength can be found for first-class 

 cultivation, it should have the preference over the rough and ready 

 methods that are satisfactory on a large scale. Exhibitions of Potatoes 

 are for the most part sustained by persons who can find the time to 

 do things with extra care, and they have their reward in their crops as 

 well as in their prizes, for what may be styled Exhibition culture con- 

 sists simply in growing the main crop in the best possible way, and 

 preferring many sorts where in any other case a few would suffice. 

 Here, then, on the best plan, we begin with sets most carefully selected, 

 to insure true typical form and colour, and these are, some six weeks 

 or so before planting time, put in shallow boxes, or baskets one layer 

 deep, to sprout in full daylight, but quite safe from frost. In the first 

 instance, a number of sprouts appear, and a large proportion are 

 rubbed off. The object of the cultivator is to secure one or two 

 stout, short shoots of a green or purple colour, the long white threads 

 that are often produced in the store being regarded as useless. When 

 large sets are employed, they are allowed to make three or four stout 

 shoots, and at the time of planting not before these sets are cut 



