78 THE SEED-GROWER. 



open ground. The first year's tubers are very small; 

 these after being preserved over winter in the usual way 

 for potatoes, are planted the following spring and pro- 

 duce large tubers. 



Second Crop Seed Potatoes. In the Southern 

 States, where the early or spring crop of potatoes 

 matures earlier than in the North, it is almost impossi- 

 ble owing to the climate to keep the tubers over the fall 

 and following winter in order to plant in spring. 

 Therefore, Northern-grown seed potatoes have largely 

 been depended on in the South for seed for spring 

 planting. In later years, however, the problem has 

 been solved economically for the South by the produc- 

 tion in that section of a second or fall crop of potatoes, 

 which for spring planting are now preferred to Northern- 

 grown tubers. 



The method for obtaining second-crop potatoes, is to 

 select for seed, potatoes from the spring crop. These 

 may be left in the ground where they grew until ready 

 to plant, or may be preserved by spreading them on 

 the ground, and protecting them from sun and rain by 

 a light covering of straw or leaf mould. This seed is 

 then planted, in latitude 35 degrees, early in August. 

 Before planting, the buds are started or sprouted by 

 spreading the potatoes in a cool, shaded place, covering 

 them with three or four inches of garden loam or sand, 

 and keeping same moist, not wet, until the sprouts 

 are an eighth or a quarter of an inch long, which will be 

 in about two weeks' time. Planting is done in the 

 same manner as for a spring crop, but covering is made 

 a little deeper. 



This crop matures quicker than a spring crop, and 

 keeping qualities of these second-crop potatoes are all 

 that could be wished for ; for table use they are un- 

 excelled. 



