34 THE BOOK OF NATURE STUDY 



best procedure is to manure the preceding crop rather heavily 

 with farmyard manure, and to apply to the Potato crop only 

 artificial manure. If farmyard manure is applied to the Potato 

 ground, the application should be made in the preceding autumn, 

 and the manure dug in at that time. If farmyard manure only 

 is applied, the quantity should be about one cartload (i.e. one 

 ton) per eight rods ; but if, as is best, a dressing of artificial manure 

 is also given, this quantity should be sufficient for sixteen rods. 

 The artificial manures should be complete, that is to say, they 

 should supply nitrogen, potash, and phosphoric acid, and this is 

 secured by a dressing at the rate per rod of i Ib. of sulphate of 

 ammonia, 3 Ib. of superphosphate of lime, and i Ib. of muriate 

 of potash. On many garden soils rich in nitrogen the amount 

 of sulphate of ammonia may be reduced by one-half. The three 

 artificial manures here recommended should be mixed together 

 immediately before planting, and sown broadcast across the 

 Potato drills. 



For a succession of crops, early, mid-season, and late plantings 

 are made. For early Potatoes (which are consumed in an immature 

 state) the best varieties at the present time are Sharpe's Victor, 

 Button's Ringleader, Sir John Llewellyn, and Ashleaf. These 

 should be planted in the middle of March. Main crop varieties 

 for planting from the middle of April to the early part of May 

 are : Main Crop, Windsor Castle, Up-to-Date, Snowdrop, Flour- 

 ball, Factor, Abundance, British Queen, and Sutton's Triumph. 



Heavy soil should be ridged up in the autumn, and the ridges 

 may then be raked down level in spring, and lightly dug over 

 just before planting. Light soils should be double dug in spring. 

 The ground having been dug and levelled with the rake, shallow 

 trenches, about seven inches deep and two feet apart, are made 

 with the spade and garden line, and the artificial manures are 

 then sown. Next, the tubers are carefully planted with the 

 sprouts pointing upwards, the distance between the tubers being 

 twelve to fifteen inches. The soil is then raked into the trenches. 

 In about a month the tops of the stems will show above the 

 surface, and so soon as the rows can be clearly seen we should 

 hoe between them so as to preserve the soil moisture at what 

 is usually a dry period of the year. A little later, when the 



