CHAPTER III. 
On Planting Potatoes. Harvesting. Preserving the Crop. 
In the preceding chapter I could not resist the temptation 
to copy entire Mr. Thaer’s article on potatoes; it seemed to 
me so characterized by clearness and perspicuity, so emi- 
nently practical, that I could not, with propriety, withhold it 
from a compilation of the kind in hand ; besides the article is 
new to American readers, and cannot be uninteresting. I 
continue in the present chapter, the account of Mr. Thaer, 
embracing some suggestions, the most important to us at the 
present time, on the subject of keeping and preserving pota- 
toes through the winter. The extract commences with Mr. 
Thaer’s method of planting, which was alluded to in the 
previous chapter. 
By means of the marking plough, or furrower, already 
noticed, lines, or small furrows, are traced at right angles, or 
obliquely, to the direction which the plough is to take. Five 
persons are then stationed at equal distances on the line of 
the plough, each having assigned to him the space which he 
is to plant. One plough traces the furrow, which is imme- 
diately set with potatoes; two other ploughs then follow, and 
the potatoes are set in the furrow traced by the third. It 
will be understood that the persons who set them will have to 
go from one side to the other, each one keeping within his 
allotted space. Each potatoe is set at the point of intersec- 
