274 THE COMPLETE FARMER 



which weigh six or eight ounces. The earlier sorts, and. 

 indeed, all which seldom attain a greater height than two 

 feet, are to be planted about four or five inches apart in the 

 rows, centre from centre, the crown ends upward ; the rows 

 to be from two feet six inches to three feet asunder. The 

 late potatoes, which produce a haulm above three feet in 

 height, are to be placed five or six inches apart, centre from 

 centre, in rows four or five feet asunder. 



When potatoes are thus planted in rows pointing north 

 and south, the utmost energy of the light will be exerted, 

 not only upon the foliage of the plant, but upon the surface 

 of the intervening spaces of ground. If we suppose that the 

 main crops will be planted at the latter end of March and 

 during the month of April, the sun's meridional altitude will 

 be advancing daily for at least nine weeks ; and during that 

 period, the development and growth of the stem and leaves 

 will be in a state of rapid progress. After the turn of days, 

 and when the plants have attained their full growth, the sun 

 will continue to exert its most powerful influence. Should 

 the ground be of a proper texture and quality, the plants 

 will stand erect, and the maturing process will proceed with- 

 out interruption ; and after favorable summers, wherein 

 there have been regular and moderate supplies of rain, par- 

 ticularly during May and June, with a prevalence, however, 

 of bricrht sunshine, the crops of potatoes will be regular, the 

 tubers generally of a medium size, and the quality mealy, 

 and altogether superior. If the soil be a strong mellow 

 loam, enriched with much manire, the haulm will, in all pro- 

 bability, grow too rank, and finally fall over; nevertheless 

 the large spaces between the rows will grcL^tly remedy this 

 evil, for the sun's beams will act upon one surface at the 

 least, and the matting and other injurious consequences re- 

 sulting from close drilling will be prevented or obviated. I 

 cannot refrain, in this place, from correcting an erroneous 

 opinion, which almost universally prevails. We hear every- 

 where of potato plants running away to haulm, and thus ex- 

 pending their vital energy upon useless stem and foliage, in- 

 stead of employing it in the production of tuberous roots. 

 Now this remark is wholly opposed to philosophical fact, for 

 invariably the strongest and heaviest bulk of potatoes is 

 found attached to the most luxuriant haulm. The evil of 

 over-luxuriance is not to be referred to the paucity of tube- 

 rous product, for that is always great ; it is a consequence 

 of an over-rich soil, which causes the haulm to grow so tall 



