Porators 1375 
enough rainfall during the growing season, from May to October, 
to produce a full crop of anything, much less a crop like the 
potato, which is three-quarters water. When one realizes that it 
requires at least 300 pounds of water to produce 1 pound of dry 
matter in a plant, and considers the tonnage from even a moderate 
crop of potatoes (75 per cent. water), and then compares this with 
the average rainfall in his locality during the above-mentioned 
period, he will appreciate the truth of this statement. We must, 
then, secure a water supply from that in the ground in early spring, 
derived from melting snows and spring rains, at a time when there 
is little evaporation from the soil; and conserve that from the 
precipitation during the growing season. This can be done in 
two ways: 
Fic. 416.— Potato Fietp or H. F. Horton, STEPHENTOWN, RENSSELAER 
County, N. Y. Forrace 1n Perrect CONDITION AS A RESULT or IN- 
TELLIGENT FERTILIZATION AND CULTIVATION, FOLLOWED By TuOoR- 
OUGH AND TIMELY SPRAYING ror Bucs AND BLIGHT 
1. By preventing evaporation by frequent stirring of the sur- 
face soil. As fast as the ground is plowed in the spring, it should 
be harrowed or rolled — not left until the whole field is turned 
over. This will make the soil compact, and prevent loss of water by 
drying winds, and by breaking up of the capillary cells which 
quickly form when the ground is crusted, thus making the spaces so 
large that the water cannot climb to the surface and escape. If the 
weather is very dry, it is better to roll as fast as plowed, and then 
Miegnpuedes a + egg se iad 
