CHAPTER XIII 



POTATOES 



No crop assists the food economy of the country more 

 than that of the potato, but, unfortunately, a great deal 

 of space is required for its proper growth. Personally 

 we think that a third of every allotment or vegetable 

 garden should be put to potato cultivation each year ; 

 this will enable the grower to produce his maximum 

 quantity of the tubers whilst observing the laws of 

 rotation. 



If the plot is of fair size, the space should be appor- 

 tioned between early, second-early, and main-crop 

 varieties, but, if it is small, the two former kinds, only, 

 should be planted. In other words if the grower wants 

 to produce enough potatoes to last him a whole year, he 

 will cultivate the earlies for the sake of new potatoes and 

 the main crop for keeping through the winter. On the 

 other hand, if he has but a small space at his disposal, 

 he will plant earlies so that he has a supply when the 

 tubers are dearest ; he will also get his ground cleared in 

 sufficient time for producing a late crop of some other 

 vegetable. 



Soil. Potatoes will grow in almost any soil, but the 

 finest results are obtained in light, sandy loam, which 

 is well drained and contains plenty of humus. The 

 latter may be suitably provided by digging intotheground 



