POTATO CULTURE 433 



CULTIVATION OF POTATOES 



565. Cultivation. The cultivation of potatoes is not very 

 different from the cultivation of corn, except that potatoes 

 planted in the ordinary way, from 3 to 5 inches deep, may 

 be harrowed before the plants are large enough to cultivate, 

 without danger of injury, which is not so true of corn. As 

 soon as the rows can be seen, potatoes are commonly culti- 

 vated with the ordinary corn cultivator. The heaviest cul- 

 tivating should be done the first time through; no injury is 

 done if the young plants are covered in the operation. In 

 fact, covering is often practiced to protect early potatoes 

 from a prospective frost. The subsequent cultivation should 

 be sufficient to keep the surface soil in good mellow condition 

 and destroy all weeds without injuring the roots of the pota- 

 toes. On deep, rich, well-drained land, the potato roots are 

 likely to grow deep enough so that thoroughly good cultiva- 

 tion may safely be given to a depth of from 2 to 3 inches. 

 Cultivation may be continued until prevented by the spread 

 of the vines. The later cultivations are usually given with 

 a one-horse, fine-toothed cultivator. 



566. Irrigation. As the potato crop gives large returns 

 to the acre, it is quite commonly grown on irrigated land. 

 The method of planting in drills also greatly facilitates the 

 process of getting water to the crop. Extremely large yields 

 of potatoes are obtained under irrigation; in fact, the states 

 giving the largest average yields per acre are those in which 

 the main part of the crop is irrigated. 



567. Harvesting. As a rule, potatoes are not harvested 

 until they are ripe; that is, until the vines are entirely dead. 

 However, high prices may make it profitable to dig early 

 potatoes before they are fully mature, even though a 

 smaller yield is obtained. Where only a small acreage is 



