354 GARDEN FARMING 



potatoes in hills or ridges. The flat method of cultivation exposes 

 less soil surface to the action of the sun and wind, and therefore 

 conserves moisture ; the ridge or hill system throws the earth 

 up in ridges, and while it keeps the tubers more perfectly covered 

 with soil and prevents sun scald, there is more liability to injury 

 from drought. 



With the early crop, where there is practically no danger of seri- 

 ous drought, the question of level cultivation is not of so great 

 importance as it is with the late crop, which must pass through the 

 most trying period of the year. The implements best suited to the 

 level method of cultivation are the 5 -tooth cultivator of the Planet 

 Jr. or Iron Age type, or the 2-horse corn cultivator fitted with 

 narrow blades. In any case, the teeth or blades which are used 

 should not be more than ij- or 2 inches wide, so that the ground 

 may be left as nearly level as possible. If, however, the ridge or hill 

 system is followed, a narrow shovel plow will be needed in order 

 to throw earth over the tubers and to produce the ridges desired. 



In the cultivation of potatoes, as with other hoe crops, the chief 

 object is to conserve soil moisture and to set free plant food. The 

 old idea that cultivation had for its object the killing of weeds only 

 has long since been exploded. Growers have learned that tillage 

 to prevent the formation of a crust and to preserve soil moisture is 

 the really important factor in cultivation. The most advantageous 

 method of preserving this soil mulch is to cultivate with an im- 

 plement that cuts the soil about 2\ or 3 inches deep and leaves it 

 fine and loose and nearly level rather than in ridges. 



Insects and diseases. The potato is subject to two enemies that 

 are more or less serious according to the season and locality 

 the Colorado potato beetle and the flea beetle. 



Colorado potato beetle. This is familiar to every potato grower and 

 needs no description. It is, perhaps, the most serious insect enemy 

 of the potato. The adult beetles do comparatively little harm, but 

 the young beetles, called slugs, are voracious eaters and quickly 

 defoliate the vines unless proper restrictive measures are taken. 

 A common treatment is to spray the plants with Paris green at 

 the rate of i^ pounds to 50 gallons of water. In some instances 

 this combination has been known to burn and slightly injure the 

 foliage, but this is of minor importance in comparison with the 



