80 CONTINUOUS CROPPING 



get a fine tilth. But this is never so satisfactory, and 

 it is much better even if it means delaying the planting 

 to obtain a good tilth first. 



Under the ordinary system of potato growing, drills 

 are made about 27 inches apart, and the potatoes 

 planted about 12 inches apart ; the seed is not usually 

 sprouted, and spraying, except in certain districts, is 

 not carried out. By such a method, only one crop of 

 potatoes is obtained in the season, and that a low 

 yield crop. 



Now the up-to-date method, and a much better one, 

 is to make the drills at the start 36 inches apart. In 

 these drills early or second early varieties of potatoes 

 should be planted a good 15 inches apart. 



The seed should be well sprouted before planting. 

 Having such a large amount of freedom these sprouted 

 potatoes will attain a far more rapid growth than 

 when planted unsprouted and in the usual size of drills. 



DOUBLE CROPPING OF POTATOES 



Of course, the date of planting the crop will vary in 

 different districts. On early land (the ideal land is 

 light loam near the seaboard) the potatoes should be 

 put in by mid-March, the winter-green crops being 

 cleared much earlier than usual with this object. In 

 less favourable districts, however, it may be the middle 

 of April before the '* earlies *' can be put in. In any 

 event, when the crop has been moulded a second time, 

 about late May or early June, the second crop of a late 

 variety of sprouted potato should be planted in between 

 the rows of the first or second " earlies." 



The easiest way to plant this second crop is by 

 running a grubber or Hunter hoe up and down the 

 drills after the second moulding of the first-planted 

 crop. The Hunter hoe should have the scuffling feet 



