132 
THE AMATEUR’S KITCHEN GARDEN. 
the sets and between the rows than you would for an ordinary 
crop. 
Planting may be done at any time from October to the 
end of May. We have planted on the 24th of June and 
taken up a good crop the first week in October. But that 
is bad practice, and requires a peculiarly favourable season 
to bring it through. Autumn planting is recommended where 
it suits the labour market, for the pressure of work in spring 
renders it desirable in many cases to get all heavy work out 
of hand before the spring comes, so far as that can be done 
to advantage. Now, potato-planting is a case in point, and 
ought to be much more practised than it is, to fill up a season 
when work is scarce, to the relief of a later season when there 
is more work than can be properly done to catch the season. 
Only on well-drained land should potatoes be planted in 
autumn. The ground being double dug and well manured, 
open trenches with the spade three to four feet apart, sprinkle 
the trenches with lime, and put down the sets and cover. 
They must be nine inches deep to be safe from frost, and 
to prevent too early a growth in spring. They will not start 
particularly early ; but if the haulm appears too soon and is 
in danger of frost, cover it with crumbs drawn up by the hoe. 
Autumn planting should be completed before October is out, 
for there is risk of frost interrupting and damaging the work 
later in the season. 
Potatoes may be planted in January and February if the 
weather is favourable for the work, but having missed October, 
it is best to wait until March, and in any and every case the 
planting should be finished before the end of April, because, 
as the root is peculiarly the product of sunshine, it ought to 
have as long a spell of the radiance as possible ; and as 
disease does not usually break out until towards the end ©f 
the growing season, it is well if we can lift and store the crop 
before the disease has time to catch it. 
And here we must make two remarks that we consider of 
importance. In the first place, the plant requires plenty of 
air and light, and therefore close planting is apt to prove un- 
profitable. It is better to put the rows, in the case of strong 
growers, four feet apart at least ; and, to economize the 
ground, plant winter greens or broccolis or some other up- 
right-growing plant between, than to put the rows so close 
that the haulm will intermix, and the plant be thereby de- 
