223 SPECIALTIES 



the fire and opening door and windows until the 

 temperature is as nearly as possible that of the 

 outside. Then, all being ready, have the barrels 

 carried to the potato field, on a hand-barrow 

 by two men, not wheeled on a wheel-barrow. 

 Knock off the hoops and staves, so that the 

 sprouted mother potatoes may be freely but 

 carefully handled. 



Separate the mother potatoes with a wooden 

 paddle, as it will do less injury than an iron 

 one. The loss need not be more than 10%. 

 Lift out one mother potato, being careful not 

 to break the sprouts or rootlets. If the potato 

 be a 12-ounce one, cut it in halves length- 

 wise, not crosswise, so that each portion shall 

 have as many as 15 little tubers on it, so far 

 as you can estimate quickly by counting 

 with the eye. Lay each portion where the 

 hill is to be, on opposite sides of the ridge, 

 with the roots spread down the sides of the 

 ridge, thus making a double hill, planted with 

 anywhere from 40 to 60 little tubers, ready to 

 resume growth at once. 



'. Never plant less than 15 tubers to each hill, 

 and if the half mother has less than that 

 number, add a portion of another mother 

 until you have that many. Only in this 

 way can you estimate how many bushels you 



