PEAS AND POTATOES 



89 



"seed-end" of each tuber. It requires ten or more 

 bushels of potatoes to seed one acre. 



An important point is to have the soil in perfect 

 condition before planting. Use the 

 harrow thoroughly. Rows, for horse 

 cultivation, should be about three 

 feet apart. Drop seed pieces about 

 fifteen inches apart ; cover about 

 four inches deep; shallower plant- 

 ing would bring the crop too near 

 the surface and cause portions of 

 the tubers to sunburn and turn 

 green. The two illustrations show | 

 the results of wrong and right | 

 planting depths. There are several 

 good machine potato-planters now 



^ ^ ^ TOO-SHALLOW PLANT- 



on the market ; but on small areas ing, resulting in 

 it is customary to open the furrows sunburned pota- 



. 1 . TOES TOO NEAR 



With a plow or horse cultivator or the surface 



hand hoe and drop the seed by 



hand, and then cover the seed in a similar manner. 



Cultivation should begin soon after the seed is 

 planted. Go diagonally over the field with a light 

 spike-tooth harrow, to break up 

 the soil crust and to kill any 

 weeds which may start. Go over 

 the field again within a week, the 

 other way diagonally. These 

 early harrowings greatly lessen 

 the after work of keeping the 

 field clean. When the potatoes 

 are several inches high, a culti- 

 planted right— vator should be used between 

 FOUR inches deep, j-ows. If thc grouud is well- 



RESULT : NO SUN- . , ,^ , . . . 



BURNED TUBERS Grained and 11 the seed is planted 



