146 THE POTATO 



which pass underneath the row and raise it. The 

 forks throw the potatoes and soil against a screen, 

 which lets the soil through but deposits the potatoes 



FIG. 44 THE HOOVER DIGGER 



in a row. Several good diggers are made on this plan. 

 Two or three horses are used. 



With a mechanical digger, four to six acres can be 

 dug per day, and eight to sixteen hands are required 

 to pick up. The cost of digging should not exceed two 

 cents per bushel, and may be much less. Another ad- 

 vantage of a digger is that if the land is clean it needs 

 harrowing only to be in excellent shape for seeding to 

 wheat. 



