Cultural Directions. — 285 



hardware store. This is done in order to give to the roots 

 of the vines, and to the tubers also, the best possible chance for 

 development. 



The seed is to be covered with about two inches of soil, and 

 this should be firmed in same manner as other seed, best by- 

 setting the foot firmly and squarely upon each piece. The 

 fertilizer is then scattered along in the half-filled trenches, and 

 this finishes the planting. 



Cultivation should be begun within a week. I have never 

 found a method of cultivating the potato field during its earlier 

 stages more effectual, cheaper and easier than by the early, 

 thorough, and repeated use of a Thomas' smoothing harrow. 



It gives us every advantage without a single drawback. The 

 first harrowing, shortly after planting, had better be given in the 

 direction of the rows ; the next one four or five days after, across 

 the rows; and one or two more, at intervals of four or five days 

 each, in the same way. This 

 treatment renders the surface 

 smooth and even, mellows and 

 pulverizes the soil thoroughly, 

 and so utterly discourages the 

 weeds, that they will not 

 venture to show themselves 

 for a long time. Now the 

 young plants have probably 

 grown several inches high ; 

 and the cultivator (Planet Jr., 

 for instance) must take the 

 place of the harrow. In the 

 manipulation of the cultivator, 

 we aim to crowd the row at 

 the right-hand pretty closely, and going twice between the same 

 two rows, stir the entire surface of the soil without leaving 

 anything for the hand hoe to do. Cultivation is kept up until 

 the vines cover the ground. 



Digging, Harvesting and Storing. — In clean, mellow soil 

 our modern potato diggers do good service. Where none is avail- 

 able, a common one-horse plow (or a shovel-plow) often answers 

 very well. Small patches may be dug with a potato hook, or a 

 digging fork, or even a common hand hoe. If dug by machine 

 or plow, the ground, after the crop is picked up, can be harrowed 

 over with the smoothing harrow, thus brinp-ina- the few tubers, 

 that had been covered up and hidden, into sight for gathering. 

 The tubers may be left on the ground for a short time, and 

 are then gathered in box-crates holding a bushel each, and thus 

 drawn to market, cellar, root-house, or pit. The simplest, 

 cheapest, and generally most satisfactory mariner of storing for 



The Polaris. 



