284 SCHOOL AND HOME GARDENS 
any given section must be learned by consulting gar- 
deners or farmers, and is largely determined by the 
nature of the soil. 
Soil. Potatoes require a deep, rich, light soil well 
supplied with humus. There must be good tilth, so that 
the soil will hold moisture. Heavy. low soil is usually 
too wet, although the late varieties will grow on heavier 
soil than the carly ones. The subsoil must be loose, to 
Fic. 153. Potato Cuttings. (One-half natural size) 
The white lines show where the tubers should be cut 
give the roots an opportunity to reach down for mois- 
ture. Fresh sod land well harrowed, and newly cleared 
timber land containing leaf mold, are excellent for 
potatoes. 
Fertilizer. Do not use fresh stable manure. For early 
potatoes plow under a heavy dressing the previous 
season, or turn under a load of green manure in the 
fall. For late potatoes the soil may be given a coating 
of well-decayed manure or compost early in the spring. 
A mixed fertilizer, worked into the rows at the rate 
