38 



Potato Growing in Essex. 



[Apr.. 



attention than is usually devoted to it. Early varieties for the 

 early market should be planted about ten inches apart, and 

 main crop varieties should be planted from fifteen to sixteen 

 inches apart. Care should be taken to see that the s^ed tubersi 

 are planted v^ith equal spaces between them, as if they are 

 planted too closely together the plants will be crowded and the 

 result will be a large proportion of small potatoes. If too much 

 space is left between the tubers ground will be wasted and 

 weeds will have a better chance. Some farmers use a marker, 

 consisting of a wheel with movable spikes which are set to the 

 required distance and the wheel is then pushed along the 

 furrows making smiall holes at even distances for the seed 

 tuberfe. Where such a marker is not available it is a good 

 practice for the man in charge of the planting to have a stick 

 cut to the length of the required distance betvv-een each potato, 

 and he can then measure the distance at which the workers are 

 dropping the potatoes, and give them a clear idea as to exactly 

 how much space is to be left between each tuber. Some 

 farmers plant potatoes at a distance of twelve inches apart, 

 believing that they will get a larger crop, but while they may 

 get a larger number of tubers, the total yield of good market- 

 able ware potatoes will be less; and a good crop of ware 

 potatoes is what we should aim at. 



Boxing. — The boxing of early varieties should be done in 

 September or October, and the boxes stored in a house or 

 barn suitable for the purpose. A suitable house must have 

 plenty of light, with a window or large loop, which can be 

 opened every day when the weather is open, on each side of 

 the house, in order to get a proper current of air through. 

 Under these conditions the potatoes will give hardy, stubby, 

 purple shoots. Care should always be taken to pack the boxes 

 correctly; if they are packed too closely, long, white spindly 

 shoots will be found on the potatoes in the centre of each box, 

 and this should be avoided (see sketch). The boxes should be 

 moved at least twice during the period, the top boxes being 

 put below and the bottom boxes on top. 



The boxing of late varieties is a very debatable point. If 

 the date of planting is to be very late — say the end of April 

 or the beginning of May — the potatoes ought to be boxed; but 

 if planting, particularly with late-sprouting fresh Scotch seed, 

 is to take place between the end of March and the middle of 

 April, so that the firf# sprouts are formed in the soil, little 

 iidvantage is to be gained by boxing. 



