THE 
GARDEN YARD 28 
each in weight, smooth and bright. Half of 
such a potato is used to each hill, or if the po- 
tatoes weigh only six ounces, a whole potato is 
allowed for each hill. For intensive cultivation 
the potato must be sprouted before planting 
and for this purpose you need a “sprouting 
room.” Any room, say 10x 12x7 feet, if warm, 
dry, double-walled and lighted will serve the 
purpose; or you can construct such a house 
with sawdust filling between the double walls 
and double ceiling, having two windows, and a 
roof over all: an old ice house would do. 
Lay two rows of two by four inch scantling 
on the dry earth floor, near the sides and 
across the end of the room opposite the door, 
and place on them a double row of barrels, 
each filled about three-quarters full of potatoes, 
or about three bushels to each barrel. When 
these have been filled this way, lay scant- 
ling across the barrels so as to accommodate 
other tiers of barrels, until you have about 50 
barrels in the room. No earth or water must 
be used in the barrels; just the plain potatoes. 
In the centre of the room place your heating 
apparatus, which may be a small “ bake oven’”’ 
in which one barrel of charcoal will supply all 
the necessary heat during the four to six weeks 
of sprouting; or a small stove burning coal or 
