POTATO POTTING 



179 



Too deep 



to two or three eyes, leaving as much tuber as possible 

 with each piece. From seven to eight bushels of Potatoes 

 are required to plant an acre. 



For a very early crop in the garden, tubers are some- 

 times sprouted in the cellar. When the 

 sprouts are 4 to 6 inches high the tubers are 

 carefully planted. It is essential that the 

 sprouts are not broken in the handling. 

 In this practice, also, the tubers are first 

 cut into large pieces, so that they will not 

 dry out too much. 



The staple remedy for the Potato bug is 

 Paris green, 1 pound of poison to 150 to 200 

 gallons of water, with a little lime (see 

 Paris Green). For the blight, spray with 

 Bordeaux mixture, and spray thoroughly. 

 Bordeaux mixture will also keep away the 

 flea beetle to a large extent. 



Potato, Sweet. See Sweet Potato. 



Potting. The operation of potting 

 a plant, while in itself simple, is very often 

 associated with success or failure in the 

 growth of the plant. The first and most 

 common reason of failure is using too large 

 a pot ; the second, imperfect drainage ; 

 and the third, the poor physical condition 

 of the soil. 



A small -rooted cutting or a feeble plant 

 should have a pot only large enough to 

 hold soil sufficient to surround the roots to 

 the extent of 1 or 2 inches. More soil 

 would hold too much moisture, thus ex- 

 cluding the air. As the plants grow and 

 the ball of dirt becomes well covered with white roots, 

 and before these roots become dark in color, the plant 

 should be repotted, using a pot one size larger and usually 



Plant too high 



