24 



Potato Growing. 



[APRIL, 



The Effect of Artificials zvhen no Dung is Applied.— A\tho\Jig\\ 

 dung is generally regarded as essential in the manuring of 

 potatoes, very good and highly profitable crops can be grown 

 without it. 



The following mixture of artificials per acre may generally be 

 depended upon to produce as big a crop of potatoes as lo tons 

 of dung : — 



2 cwt. sulphate of ammonia. 

 4 cwt. superphosphate. 

 2 cwt. sulphate of potash. 



Dung, when readily obtainable, will doubtless prove more 

 economical than the above mixture of aitificials, but there are 

 times — e.g., after " seeds " — wdien such a mixture alone will give 

 quite as profitable returns as lO tons of dung. 



Time of Planting. — Potatoes should be planted in spring, as 

 soon as a good tilth can be obtained. April is generally a suit- 

 able month, but sometimes planting is possible about the end of 

 March, and not infrequently good returns are obtained from 

 seed planted in May. When no special precautions, however — 

 such as boxing — are taken to preserve the first sprouts, it is 

 advisable to plant the potatoes so that, as far as possible, they 

 shall make their first growth in the soil. A good covering of 

 soil will protect the sets from frost, even when planted as early 

 as the end of March, but as soon as the weather becomes fairly 

 mild part of the covering should be removed by harrowing, as 

 weak and spindling sprouts result if they have to push their way 

 through a considerable thickness of soil before reaching the light. 



Depth of Planting. — As to the proper depth to plant, a great 

 deal depends upon the character of the soil. Where the soil is 

 loose and friable it is possibly advantageous to plant fairly deep. 

 When dung is applied in the row the danger of the sets being 

 covered too much is minimized, but when potatoes are planted 

 without dung in the row there is considerable risk of their being 

 covered too deep, especially on the heavier class of soils. 



The Effect of Manures upon Cooking Quality and Disease. — 

 {a) Cooking Quality : The quality of the potato is dependent 

 upon many factors, including soil, season, variety, and the state 

 of ripeness of the tuber, but manures also have an influence on 

 this point. The application of a heavy dressing of dung appears 



