170 GARDEN STEPS 



can usually get from four to six seed pieces from 

 a medium potato. Do not divide a piece having 

 two eyes, unless you can have with each eye a 

 good piece of flesh, cut to the center. The chances 

 of getting a good crop are much less if only a small, 

 thin piece is left with the eye. 



Planting Potatoes 



Choice of Fertilizer. — Commercial fertilizer, pre- 

 pared especially for potatoes, makes the best fer- 

 tilizer for potato ground in general. It is easy to 

 procure in most places and can be depended on. 

 Dairy or stable dressing, unless it is old and well 

 rotted, is not satisfactory. It tends to produce 

 conditions in the soil favorable to the development 

 of scab, which makes the skin rough and ugly. 



Last year, a truck farmer on Long Island took the 

 author over his immense potato fields and showed 

 him the results of different fertilizers he was using. 

 He was not only searching for the best fertilizer in 

 general, but for the best fertilizer for each particular 

 piece of ground. 



The best for his Hght, rather sandy soil was guano, 

 a pulverized manure from South America and islands 

 in the Pacific. This guano is supposed to be chiefly 

 the manure from sea birds, that gather in thousands 

 on the rocky coasts ; but it is difficult to say just 

 what it is composed of now, as the bird deposits 

 have been pretty well exhausted. The commercial 



