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folly for one to plant more than he can husband well ; and ho 

 that does it, is like the foolish man who spread his thumb and 

 finger to their utmost stretch to grasp the silver dollars, but 

 let them slip and lost them all. 



Harvesting' potatoes. As regards the time, circumstances 

 may make a difference. In seasons when the potato rot pre- 

 vails, perhaps it would be best to let them remain in the 

 ground as long as they are not in danger of being frozen. 

 Then they will not be likely to rot afterward. But it is said by 

 persons that have tried the experiment, that if they be dug on 

 the first appearance of disease upon the vines, they will not be 

 injured l)y the rot. In other seasons, the sooner they are 

 harvested, after being fully matured, the better. If they 

 remain longer in the ground, the vermin that infest the soil, 

 will prey upon them ; and those that are near the surface, will 

 be injured by the scalding heat of the sun. This would render 

 their flavor unpleasant, and render them unfit for food, except 

 for swine. It is a mistaken notion, that potatoes after being 

 dug, should lie for several hours with a bright sun shining 

 upon them. For neatness' sake, a little drying to cause the 

 adhesive soil to crumble and fall off, might answer some good 

 purpose, but this will not improve their keeping qualities, nor 

 yet their flavor. It would be better if the sun should never 

 shine upon them. As regards the tools for digging potatoes, 

 we can only say, that we have never found any one better 

 than the potato fork. 



Storing- potatoes. They should be stored in some dark 

 place, where the light of day will not reach them, and where 

 the temperature is cool and even. This is nature's law, and 

 it should ever be regarded ; they grow in darkness, buried in 

 the soil, and it would be better if they were always kept so. 

 When one is short of cellar-room, there is no better place to 

 keep them than in the sand, where frost will never reach them, 

 and water cannot stand. We have never known them to keep 



