200 TRUCK-FARMING AT THE SOUTH. 



" Early Rose." Some varieties start even earlier than 

 this, and a week later would better suit the " Beauty of 

 Hebron," for instance. If Southern stock is offered in 

 the Northern markets while the Northern winter supply 

 is abundant, and still of good quality, very good prices 

 can not be expected. It will, therefore, not be the pol- 

 icy of Florida growers to put in their crops much earlier 

 than the date named. 



On account of its native habitat the potato requires at 

 the South a cool, moist soil. Low, black moulds in 

 river bottoms, if well drained, may give enormous yields; 

 but the product is apt to be of inferior quality and decay 

 readily, the gluten predominating over the starch in its 

 composition. No vegetable varies more in quality on 

 different soils. A variety may be fine on a good soil and 

 nearly worthless for table use on one not adapted to it. 

 The mealiest and best-flavored potatoes are grown on 

 sandy soil, but for a satisfactory yield, a good, rich, 

 sandy loam, with an abundance of vegetable matter is 

 indispensable. 



Whatever be its character, the soil should be broken 

 up deeply and thorougly mellowed, in order that it may 

 absorb and retain moisture. Freshly cleared ground, of 

 good quality, produces better crops than old land, prob- 

 ably in consequence of its greater content of potash. The 

 soil should have been previously enriched for a preced- 

 ing crop. The roots will extend beyond the drill, and 

 poor land fertilized with the same amount and quality 

 of manure in the furrow will, therefore, not produce 

 satisfactorily. 



Stable manure or barn-yard manure is chiefly to be 

 relied upon by the potato grower. Composts of good 

 commercial fertilizers with leaves or leaf-mould with the 

 specially adapted potash salts, or ashes and bone-flour, 

 may be used where a sufficiency of stable manure cannot 

 be had. As a rule, land can scarcely be made too rid! 



