THE POTATO 



235 



ing away of all storm-rains, and every other 

 kind and degree of its excess of latent moisture. 

 The ground should he worked, or manured and dug 

 deeply, between the months of November and Feb- 

 ruary. A very liberal dressing of good, partly 

 decomposed manure should be used, and the soil in 

 process of digging should be simply turned over, and 

 let lie loose and lumpy as turned over ; the process, 

 far too generally employed, of chopping over and 

 breaking down such rough surfaces, being most 

 objectionable, as it destroys the primary intention, 

 which should be to permit the air full play down into 

 and amongst the soil, to the fullest extent possible. 



In very many districts such a favourable soil as we 

 have referred to does not exist. In connection with 

 stiff heavy soils, a dual digging, or working, during 

 the winter, choosing always dry periods for the work, 

 is highly desirable. The addition of sandy soil, road- 

 scrapings, ditch-trimmings, from the base of dry 

 banks, any form of burnt rubbish, wood-ashes, &c, 

 to such is highly desirable. The most stony portions 

 adjoining, or in connection with, heavy soils are more 

 desirable than those more clay-like in their compo- 

 sition. 



Having the soil prepared in these preliminaries as 

 advised, planting should be commenced towards the 

 end of the month of February and during March. 

 During fine, dry weather, when the surface of the 

 soil is moderately dry, neatly fork it over, mixing up 

 the manure previously buried in it with the soil in 

 the operation. It will then be ready for planting. 

 This can be done in a variety of ways ; the two 

 simplest being stretching a line across the piece, 

 always, if possible, north to south, and dibbling the 

 seed into the ground along it at the necessary dis- 

 tances apart, or shallow trenches may be drilled 

 beside the line with the hoe. Where good culture is 

 aimed at the latter process is best, though it entails 

 much more labour than the preceding one. In con- 

 nection with drill-planting, an immense aid may be 

 given to the crop by the addition to the soil of a 

 moderate quantity of artificial manure of certain 

 kinds. The phosphates are excellent for this purpose, 

 whilst for simplicity in the matter of procuration 

 and application, wood-ashes are not to be surpassed. 

 Probably greater results have accrued from the use of 

 the artificial manure known as " Amie's " than from 

 any other. When the drills are drawn, all such aids 

 as these should be simply sown along them, and the 

 sets then placed at equal distances apart therein. 

 Then hoe the soil roughly from both sides upon and 

 over them, leaving it slightly mound-shape over the 

 rows. 



The requisite distances such rows should be apart, 

 and the space between the sets in the rows, depend 

 in a measure on the sorts grown. Early and short- 



haulm varieties will succeed well planted eight inches 

 apart, in rows fifteen inches asunder. Mid-season, 

 late, and large-topped varieties should not be less 

 than twelve inches apart in the row, by twenty 

 inches between rows. The more space accorded to 

 each plant, so much better will be the growth, and 

 the result a heavier and better crop, with greater 

 freedom from disease during even the worst seasons. 



Immediately the young growths push through the 

 ground, hoe or work the ground deeply and freely 

 between the plants. Eepeat this process when the 

 growth is about three inches in height. Have no 

 hesitation in hoeing deeply close around each plant. 

 Even if each could be, at this stage of growth, 

 lightened up bodily by means of a five-tined fork it 

 would be all the better. Rapid growth then takes 

 place, the roots delight to push into free, generous 

 compost, and the looser and finer it is, so accordingly 

 will better progress be made. After this second 

 hoeing draw soil from both sides loosely up to and 

 against the plants, in such manner as to all but bury 

 the leaf -base. When the plants again so increase in 

 size as to require it, again hoe amongst them, and 

 draw quite a ridge of soil mound- like around them, 

 giving yet another moulding subsequently if needful. 

 No further attention beyond hoeing to keep them 

 free of weeds will be required until the crop is ad- 

 vancing to the perfected state, and digging up the 

 tubers should be attended to. 



Owing to the attacks of the Potato disease, which 

 in damp weather is most prevalent, it will be well, if 

 such weather prevail about the date when the haulm 

 shows the slightest symptoms of ripening, which 

 takes place first upon its lowermost leaves, to forth- 

 with dig them up should there be the slightest sign 

 of such disease observable on any part of the planta- 

 tion. To permit them to remain in the ground one 

 or two weeks longer will be at the risk of losing from 

 twenty to forty per cent, of the entire crop. During 

 fine, dry autumns this is not to be so generally anti- 

 cipated. In any case, it is not desirable to permit 

 the crop to remain in the ground until the haulm has 

 died down, as the tubers certainly do not improve in 

 quality thereby. 



Potatoes are forced or forwarded materially grown 

 in frames. A slight hot-bed is made up during the 

 month of January or February ; soil six inches 

 deep is placed thereon, So soon as active growth is 

 observed, all the air possible is given, keeping the 

 temperature at a mean of about 57°. As growth ad- 

 vances fresh soil is added in the form of mouldings- 

 up. With the temperature above given as a minimum 

 one during the subsequent months, air and root- 

 waterings as necessary, a full growth will be made 

 superficially until May 20th, when, if the crop has not 

 been used, the sashes are entirely removed from the 



