SEED BED 



177 



are now used for cutting where large quantities of seed are 

 needed for planting. Potatoes are planted in hills or in drills. 

 Hills are placed approximately three or three and a half 

 feet apart and seed dropped at the rate of two or three 

 pieces to the hill. The drill method is now used generally 

 where large acreages are planted. When planted in drills 

 the pieces are dropped twelve to fourteen inches apart in 

 the row and the rows are usually three or three and a half 

 feet apart. This distance admits of the best use of modern 

 machinery for planting, cultivating, spraying, and digging. 

 From twelve to fifteen bushels of seed are required per acre 

 for a good stand. Only good sound seed should be planted. 

 Immediately after planting, the fine-tooth harrow should 

 be run over the field and continued at intervals in order 



Fig. 97. Preparation of the seed bed by harrowing and rolling. 



is at the left. 



The potato planter 



to sprout weed seeds. The harrow can be used to advan- 

 tage even after the potatoes are above ground, providing 

 it is done in the afternoon of a fair day when the plants are 

 not so brittle as when filled with moisture. 



Seed Bed. Potatoes may be grown on any fertile, 

 well-drained soil, but do best on a rich sandy loam, 



M. AND H. PLANT PROD. 12 



