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tubers, not always large but such as usually contain 

 the higher proportion of starch, and make excellent 

 seed. 



Summer Culture. The summer culture of Potatoes 

 is simple. As soon as the young tops are through the 

 soil use the hoe freely amongst them, and if white frost 

 be still prevalent, some fine soil should be drawn over 

 the tops to protect them for a few nights longer. 

 Growth, however, soon becomes too strong, so when 

 the tops are some nine inches in height, some of the 

 soil now well loosened by flat hoeings may be drawn 

 up close to the stems, but not to bury the leaves. 

 This places over the newly forming tubers a sufficient 

 covering of soil to exclude light and air from them, 

 and also furnishes the stems with some desirable 

 support. Henceforth it is needful to pull any weeds 

 that may appear to keep the breadth quite clean, and 

 when ample space is allowed between the rows, the 

 work of hoeing, moulding and cleaning can be accom- 

 plished more efficiently. 



Early Potatoes. First early varieties of compara- 

 tively dwarf growth can be grown in pits, boxes or 

 in frames in the soil beds, and thus forced compara- 

 tively early. For this purpose tubers, if they have 

 not naturally sprouted, should be induced to do so by 

 placing them close together on end in shallow boxes, 

 and then setting them in warmth and in light ; if 

 they are occasionally sprinkled with warm water shoots 

 soon appear. These should always be limited to one 

 or two at the most to each set. When the shoots are 



