400 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. 



posed to the air until greened, which will generally take 

 two or three days. The potatoes are then bedded in single 

 layers and covered with straw or two inches of a sandy 

 soil without manure. If with straw the bed must be 

 dampened and kept so until the sprouts begin to appear. 

 They must remain in this condition until August 1st to 

 20th, when those which are sprouted are planted in the 

 usual way, excepting that shallow covering is obtained 

 and flat cultivation instead of high bedding, as is given 

 to the early crop. This flat cultivation is to obviate the 

 effects of the hot sun during the month of August. In 

 well-drained soil the potatoes may be allowed to remain 

 in the ground during the winter and dug as required, but 

 the earth must be ridged up after the tops are dead, and 

 the surface covered with piue straw. In August when the 

 planting occurs the potatoes are placed in deep furrows 

 and a thin layer of soil is put over them, and as the plants 

 grow the earth is drawn to them until the level cultiva- 

 tion is secured. When this second crop is intended for 

 table use it will be necessary to plant in July, so that the 

 potato may mature by the time of first frost. It is not 

 necessary to cut the potato, as is done with the seed of 

 the early crop, but the entire potato is planted. 



Use. — The tubers of the Irish potato, consisting chiefly 

 of starch, and having no peculiarity of taste, approach 

 nearer in their nature to the flour of grain than any other 

 root. Hence the potato is almost universally liked, and 

 can be continually used by the same individual without 

 becoming unpalatable. It is a good supporter of respira- 

 tion, and adapted for the formation of fat, but is deficient 

 in nitrogenous or muscle-forming elements. Sustained 

 labor cannot be performed on this diet without the addi- 

 tion of other food better adapted to the formation of flesh. 

 Potatoes are boiled, baked, roasted, or fried. When long 

 kept, the best ones are selected, boiled and mashed 



