THE POTATO 109 



stress upon the necessity of good seed tubers for the 

 production of a satisfactory harvest. 



Intervals between rows when planted must be de- 

 termined by the character of the variety and its season 

 of ripening. First early varieties that seldom remain 

 in the ground to mature fully may be planted in rows 

 two feet apart, and a foot apart in the rows. Mid- 

 season and medium height growers do well in rows 

 two and a half feet apart and fourteen inches apart 

 in the rows, late robust growers needing much more 

 space should be in rows three feet apart, and be fifteen 

 inches apart in the rows. As a rule insufficient space 

 is allotted to Potatoes that have to remain some time 

 in the ground. The leafage must have ample light 

 and air to enable it to perform its functions of manu- 

 facturing food for the tubers, and it is only when 

 space and light are thus furnished that really good 

 tubers are produced. 



Change of Seed. This is advantageous when the 

 change is from soil of one character to that of another. 

 Thus tubers grown on clay or marl or a stiff loam do 

 well for one or two years on sand, peat or chalk, and 

 vice versd) whilst those grown on any soil northwards 

 succeed if planted in the south. In purchasing tubers 

 from a seedsman it is well to indicate the nature of 

 the soil at home, and to ask for a stock that has been 

 grown on soil that is of a quite different character. 

 Generally speaking, tubers grown on a fairly stiff soil 

 are more robust than those grown on sand for several 

 successive seasons. Chalk soils furnish very firm clean 



