1921.] 



41 



Spraying. — Although the practice of spraying potatoes is 



getting more popular, very few farmers realise that, apart from 

 preventing potato disease, spraying increases the crop very con- 

 siderably by extending the growing period. 



Spraying should be carried out at least twice in the season. 

 The best times for spraying vary in different parts of the country, 

 but, speaking generally, the first spraying should take place 

 during the first fortnight in July, and the second about three 

 weeks later. In a wet season it may be necessary to give a third 

 spraying. 



Two types of horse-drawn spraying machines are in use — one 

 for dry spraying and another for wet spraying. 



It is claimed that the application of Hquid spray (either 

 Bordeaux or Burgundy mixture) is more effective than a dry 

 spraying, but the writer has always used dry spray and found 

 it very effective. Dry spraying should be done late at night or 

 early morning, when the dew is on the leaf. 



Harvesting. — If the ground is very hard and dry, the best 

 way to lift potatoes is by means of a potato plough. By this 

 method the tubers are not bruised, but care must be taken 

 to have the share of the plough well below the potatoes. 



If the ground is reasonably soft, the method of using a potato 

 digger is preferable. The digger must not be driven too fast, 

 otherwise the potatoes will be thrown too far, thereby making 

 extra work for the pickers, and to use a screen damages the 

 potatoes. In this case also, care should be taken to have the 

 broadshare of the digger an inch or so below the lowest tubers. 

 If this is not done, the result will be a lot of split and damaged 

 potatoes. All damaged tubers should be taken out when 

 dressing for market, as the market prices naturally depend 

 largely upon well dressed samples. 



Probably the cheapest method of picking potatoes is as 

 follows. If the crop is good, nine pickers will be required 

 on c:ich side, but if very heavy, ten will be necessary — in 

 other words, eighteen or twenty pickers respectively. 

 The length of ridges should be measured and divided into 

 ninths or tenths as the case may be, and stakes should be 

 inserted in the middle of the work, so that each picker will 

 have his or her equal share. Then each picker should be 

 f5upplied with five bushel or potato baskets, and three carts 

 should follow round at regular intervals, the potatoes being 

 emptied into the carts and taken loose to the clamp. 



