Fall Irish Potatoes. 131 



per cent, acid to the acre, around each side of the row. 

 Cover this with a scrape and scooter, or better, with a 

 Planet Junior, using a small scooter on all feet for this 

 purpose. With two more ploughings (either with the 

 Planet Junior or the scrape and scooter) the potatoes will 

 be suflSciently worked. They should be laid by almost on 

 a level and not ridged up like spring potatoes. They will 

 mature thoroughly in ninety days, ordinarily. Work 

 them fast and lay by early. After the first killing frost 

 they should be dug and not allowed to remain in the 

 groimd until after a haird freeze. 



I find the best way to dig them is to get several hands 

 with straight spading forks in the field and let them spade 

 up all they can from early morning until noon on a pretty 

 day. This will allow them to dry out and very few pota- 

 toes will be left in the ground. In the afternoon I start 

 the hands to picking up the potatoes in bushel baskets. 

 They can be put in barrels in a cellar, or it is prefenred 

 to put them on shelves one foot deep, placed one above the 

 other and slatted so air can circulate throxig hthem, in an 

 ordinary house, a barn or a cellar is preferred. In this 

 way they will keep imtil June of the following year with- 

 out sprouting veTy much. If exposed too much in very cold 

 weather cover up with straw removing it in early spring to 

 give air. In May or June, if they begin to sprout too 

 much, it is a good idea to give them air and light, which 

 will check the sprouting. To secure, a perfect stand of po- 

 tatoes and have them thrive and do well, the potatoes 

 should be full of moisture and not shriveled iip. Mos't 

 people have them planted in this shriveled stage, and that 

 is one of the main reasons why they do not get a good 



