MANURES FOR POTATOES. 255 



CHAPTER XXXI. 

 MANURES FOR POTATOES. 



Some time ago, a farmer in Pennsylvania wrote me that he 

 wanted " to raise a first-rate crop of potatoes." I answered him 

 as follows through the American Agriculturist : 



"There are many ways of doing this. But as you only enter on 

 the farm this spring, you will work to disadvantage. To obtain 

 the best results, it is necessary to prepare for the crop two or three 

 years beforehand. All that you can do this year is to select the 

 best land on the farm, put on 400 Ibs. of Peruvian guano, culti- 

 vate thoroughly, and suffer not a weed to grow. A two or three- 

 year-old clover-sod, on warm, rich, sandy loam, gives a good 

 chance for potatoes. Do not plow until you are ready to plant. 

 Sow the guano broadcast after plowing, and harrow it in, or apply 

 a tablespoonful in each hill, and mix it with the soil. Mark out 

 the rows, both ways, three feet apart, and drop a fair-sized potato 

 in each hill. Start the cultivator as soon as the rows can be dis- 

 tinguished, and repeat every week or ten days until there is danger 

 of disturbing the roots. We usually hill up a little, making a broad, 

 flat hill. A tablespoonful of plaster, dusted on the young plants 

 soon after they come up, will usually do good. We recommend 

 guano, because in our experience it does not increase the rot. 

 But it is only fair to add, that we have not found even barn-yard 

 manure, if thoroughly rotted and well mixed with the soil the fall 

 previous, half so injurious as some people would have us suppose. 

 If any one will put 25 loads per acre on our potato land, we will 

 agree to plant and run the risk of the rot. But we would use some 

 guano as well. The truth is, that it is useless to expect a large 

 crop of potatoes, say 350 bushels per acre, without plenty of 

 manure." 



This was written before the potato-beetle made its appearance. 

 But I think I should say the same thing now only put it a little 

 stronger. The truth is, it will not pay to " fight the bugs" on a 

 poor crop of potatoes. We must select the best land we have and 

 make it as rich as possible. 



"But why do you recommend Peruvian guano," asked the 

 Doctor, " rather than superphosphate or ashes ? Potatoes contain 

 a large amount of potash, and one would expect considerable 

 benefit from an application of ashes." 



" Ashes, plaster, and hen-dung," said the Judge, " will at any rate 



