THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 



175 



Prepare the rows with manure or fertilizer; throw in a little soil, and 

 on top of this plant the Potatoes; then cover them over entirely, 

 sprouts and all, to about 3 A in. deep. An astonishing growth will 

 result during the next two or three weeks. Potatoes, while vigorous, 

 will not take care of themselves. The ground should be worked 

 about them frequently, maintaining a soil mulch, the soil thrown up 

 to them a little each time it is worked. When they are ready to 



"The noble tuber": what good Potatoes should look like 



blossom they may be hilled up, if the season is wet, or the soil is 

 moist. Under some conditions however, they should be given 

 practically level culture as more moisture is maintained to develop 

 the growing tubers. To make sure of success, it will be necessary 

 to protect the crop from both the striped Potato beetle and early 

 and late blight. This is done by spraying, every ten days or so, 

 from the time the plants are about 6 in. high, with Bordeaux mixture 

 and arsenate of lead paste, or a similar double purpose spray. 

 PUMPKINS. A few hills of sugar Pumpkins, planted in the Sweet 

 Corn, among pole Beans or along the edge of the garden, where they 

 can run over the grass or trained over brush, etc., will give plenty of 

 material for a number of pies. The culture is the same as that 



