Potatoes. 267 



one on which Potatoes were not grown the previous season. 

 The best preliminary preparation is deep working, and for all 

 but the very lightest soils this should generally be done in the 

 autumn, leaving it ridged up so that frost, air, and rain can 

 penetrate and sweeten it. In field work this will, of course, be 

 done with the plough, but in gardens it is accomplished by 

 digging, and once in every three, or at most four, years this 

 should take the form of bastard-trenching (as described on 

 pages 11 to 13); the ridges should run, as nearly as possible, 

 due north and south, so that the sunlight may fall equally on 

 both sides of the rows. The autumn, too, is the best time to 

 apply manure to most soils, especially when it is not much 

 decayed. There are, however, some light soils facing south or 

 south-west, on which the culture of early Potatoes can be 

 carried on profitably, and on these it is better to apply the 

 manure in the spring. The land should be ploughed in the 

 autumn and left ridged up, then after spring cultivation furrows 

 are struck out with a plough fitted with a double mould-board, 

 and well-rotted manure is spread evenly along these previous 

 to laying in the sets. A suitable mixture of fertilizers is also 

 given at the same time, before the ridges are split, either on 

 the manure in the furrows or broadcasted over the whole area. 

 There are also some districts which are subjected to a heavy 

 rainfall where it is found easier to bring the soil more quickly 

 to a fine tilth early in the spring if not broken up until wanted, 

 and in this case also when manure is required it is given at 

 the time of planting. Whatever the nature of the soil may be, 

 it should be worked about as soon as the surface is sufficiently 

 dry to bear cultivation after the beginning of March, and this 

 working should be repeated, if necessary, until the surface is 

 brought to a fine tilth for a good depth. 



The "Seed" and its Preparation. The first point to decide 

 in connection with the seed is the variety to be grown. This 

 matter must be left to the judgment of the grower, because 

 the number of sorts in commerce is now so large, and the 

 success of different sorts in different districts is so variable, 

 that it is a matter of impossibility to give a selection which 

 would do well under all circumstances; moreover, all are 

 subject to a process of natural deterioration, and a variety 



