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 
