184 VEGETABLE GARDENING. 



"be covered quite so deep as for the main crop, but in other par- 

 ticulars the crop should be treated the same way, and the quick- 

 est maturing- kinds only should be planted. If the tubers for 

 early sets are spread out in a light, warm room for three or 

 four weeks before planting-, healthy green sprouts will start 

 from the eyes, and, if in cutting- these sprouts are carefully 

 handled so as not to break them off, the crop will be muck 

 earlier than if the sets were not thus started; they may also be 

 started in a hotbed before or after being- cut and afterwards 

 transplanted to the open ground: but these methods are seldom 

 practiced except in a very small way, although in some sec- 

 tions they might be made profitable. 



Main Crop. For the main crop of potatoes, it is desirable 

 to have the seed in the ground pretty early. It is customary 

 in this section to plant from the middle of May to the first of 

 June. When planted later, they are very liable to suffer ser- 

 iously from drought, and earlier planting is more desirable.. 

 The results of many experiments show that the sets should be 

 planted about four inches deep, at sixteen inch intervals, in 

 rows three feet apart. This work may be done by furrowing 

 out with the plow or horse hoe, planting by hand and cover- 

 ing the sets with the plow, though when planted on a large 

 scale the work is generally done by a potato planter. There 

 are several excellent potato planters on the market. Some 

 good growers prefer to plant the sets in check rows three feet 

 apart each way when the land is weedy, but so much space be- 

 tween the plants is not generally desirable, since under ordi- 

 nary circumstances thorough harrowing when the crop is young 

 will destroy all weeds. If the sets are planted four inches 

 deep, very little hilling up is required; if planted much deeper, 

 the digging is quite difficult; if planted nearer the surface, the 

 tubers are liable to push out of the ground and require to be 

 hilled up, which is not desirable. The land should be har- 

 rowed or thoroughly cultivated with a Breed's Weeder as soon 

 as the smallest weeds can be seen or a crust forms on the land 

 after planting. It is entirely practicable to harrow potatoes 

 at least three times, the first time just before the plants show? 

 the second when they are just above ground and the third when 

 the plants are three or four inches high. Little if any harm 

 will be done the plants by this work, provided a slanting tooth 



