HOME VEGETABLE GARDENING 
POTATOES— WHEN TO PLANT AND HOW 
]T\EEP plowing or digging is essential to success with 
potatoes and, besides being well enriched, the soil 
must be well drained. As a well-known authority puts 
it — “potatoes do not like wet feet.” 
As soon as the ground can be prepared (middle of April 
in most sections and from February to May on the Pacific 
Coast), it should be laid out in furrows, four inches deep, 
allowing from two to three feet between the rows. For 
the early sorts, two feet of space between the rows is 
sufficient and two to three inches of soil to cover is 
ample, especially in heavy clay. 
Start with carefully selected tubers and cut them, allow- 
ing one or two eyes to each piece. (See sprouted eyes on 
preceding page.) Experts differ as to how many eyes per 
piece should be allowed in order to cause plants to produce 
the largest crops. The pieces are put from six to eight 
inches apart in the row. Place them carefully, “eyes up,” 
and remove all stones from the row when covering. 
1 66 
