THE POTATO 101 



Ground that has recently raised clover, alfalfa or some 

 other legume is especially suited to potatoes. While barn- 

 yard manure will greatly increase the yield, it will also favor 

 the ravages of scab and other potato diseases, and so lower 

 the quality of the crop. It is usually a mistake to plant 

 potatoes on a freshly manured field. If manure is used, 

 it is better to follow a heavy manuring with a crop of 

 corn, and then plant potatoes for the next crop in suc- 

 cession. 



Green manuring, that is, the plowing under of green 

 crops such as clover or alfalfa, will add greatly to the 

 yield. If the sod is old, it is usually better to grow one 

 crop of corn before potatoes are planted on the field. Com- 

 mercial fertilizers can be used to advantage for potatoes on 

 most soils. 



The seed bed. Potatoes should have an especially 

 well prepared seed bed. The plowing should be deeper than 

 for most crops, since the seed is planted deeper and loose 

 soil must be had for the roots and tubers. In average soils 

 the plow should be set to a depth of not less than eight 

 inches. 



The see'd bed must be well pulverized and thoroughly 

 packed. Usually not less than four harrowings and disk- 

 ings are required for the best results. Experiments have 

 shown that the difference in yield caused by harrowing part 

 of a field four times and the remainder of it but twice may 

 be as much as twenty per cent, of the crop in favor of the 

 better preparation. 



The planting. Potatoes should be planted not les's 

 than four inches deep. Less than this depth does not give 

 room for the tubers to grow without protruding from the 

 ground. This is sure to result in injury from sunburn. 

 Most potato growers drill the seed, dropping single pieces 

 of seed from twelve to fifteen inches apart in the row. In 



