PRACTICAL GARDENING 



of culture that result in success. Plant only 

 good seed, treated before planting to prevent 

 disease, in a cool, well-drained, deeply pulver- 

 ized soil. The soil should be rich in potash in- 

 corporated with humus, and should be in a 

 physical condition to retain moisture. There 

 should be frequent level cultivation to keep 

 down weeds and form a dust mulch to con- 

 serve moisture, and the foliage should be pro- 

 tected from disease and insects by spraying. 



Seed. A good beginning if kept up will 

 result in a profitable ending, so good seed 

 should be the first consideration of every; 

 grower. (Fig. 27.) If you are selecting your 

 own seed for the first time be sure to select the 

 tubers from the hills that are the most thrifty 

 and the heaviest producers. The productive- 

 ness of such a hill will have a definite influence, 

 other things being equal, on the production of 

 the following year's crop. 



The seed should be free from scab, and while 

 not necessarily large should never be small. 

 To pick out the medium-sized potatoes for 



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