CULTURE 



137 



In the home garden a simple method of planting is to open the 

 furrows with the plow and drop the seed pieces in by hand and 

 cover them with the hoe or with the harrow. 



In commercial planting, machines are commonly used which open 

 the furrow, drop the potatoes and the fertilizer, and cover the fur- 

 rows all in one operation. This makes 

 the work very rapid and inexpensive. 



Culture. — One of the secrets of success 

 in the cultivation of the growing crop is 

 to keep the soil very loose. For the first 

 few weeks the tillage should be very 

 deep. The soil should be stirred very 

 thoroughly. 



The plan of cultivation called level 

 tillage is usually best for this crop. The 

 most successful growers sometimes 

 throw a little dirt towards the vines at 

 the times of the last cultivation. Very 

 much ridging, however, is certain to 

 cause the soil to dry out. This is ex- 

 tremely detrimental to the growing crop. 

 The soil should be kept moist and cool 

 and the vines should be allowed to spread out over the ground to 

 shade it as soon as cultivation is stopped. Growers usually stop 

 the cultivation at the time the plants are in full blossom. The 



Fig. 82. — Common potato scab 

 reduces the yield, causes waste in 



Fieeling, and infests the soil for 

 uture potato crops. See methods 

 of control in the text. (Minnesota 

 Station.) 



Fig 83 — Seed potatoes exposed to the light before planting will develop stubby, green 

 sprouts instead of tender, white sprouts. Strong plants are developed rapidly when those 

 with the green sprouts are planted. Left tuber in light four weeks; right, ten weeks. (After 

 Ohio Station.) 



