A B C OF FLORIDA TRUCKING 77 



CHAPTER XIV. 



IRISH POTATOES. 



If any one doubts that the Irish potato will grow to 

 perfection in Florida, let him visit the Hastings section 

 during the shipping season. The farmers at this point ship 

 from 200,000 to 250,000 barrels during this time, which 

 lasts about six weeks. Several years ago the majority of 

 the potatoes grown in Florida for shipment were raised in 

 this section, but the growers in different parts of the State 

 have found by experimenting that they can raise just as 

 fine quality of potatoes as can be grown at Hastings, as they 

 seem to do well on most any kind of Florida soil. Of course,, 

 like other vegetables, they will do better on soil particularly 

 adapted to their requirements, which, in this case, is a rich,. 

 sandy loam. 



TIME FOR PLANTING. 



For a Fall crop in the Northern and Central portions of 

 the State plant in August and September; for a spring crop, 

 from January ist until the middle of February. For a fall' 

 crop in Southern Florida plant in October; for a spring crop' 

 from December ist until the middle of January. One point 

 to be remembered is that the seed you plant in the spring 

 will have to be Northern grown stock, New York and Maine 

 preferred. While in the fall, Florida-grown seed, saved 

 from the spring crop should be planted. 



PREPARATION OF THE SOIL. 



Plow the ground several times ; and when I say plow, I 

 mean as deeply as the soil will allow. The potato roots deep 

 and wants the ground stirred to a depth of at least ten 

 inches. If the land is low, as is some of the best potato 

 land in the State, care should be taken to have a sufficient 

 number of ditches to carry off the surplus water in case of 



