G. 1). iiowe’s potato manual. 
13 
above it, being careful to let none come in contact with the seed, an 
inch or two of soil separating them. 
While this doable distribution of fertilizer in the hill or drill is not 
very commonly practiced, yet we believe it to be advantageous to do 
it for the reason that roots will grow towards plant food and as it is 
natural- for them to grow downward they will get hold of the ferti- 
lizer under the seed first and early make for the deep moist soil 
which is a great safe-guard against the evil effects of drought; then 
as all potatoes are formed above the seed piece, the fertilizer depos- 
ited there is ready to do service in keeping off worms and fungus and 
at the same time help on the growth of the crop. Those who do not 
already know it will find that the soil least likely to produce scabby 
potatoes is the sandy or gravelly, or sandy loam, while that most 
likely to is the heavy loam with an abundance of vegetable mould 
in it. 
Leaving the matter of fertilizers for a little, to speak of them 
again, we wish to notice the different 
METHODS OF PLANTING AND CUTTING SEED. 
Probably the most common method of planting potatoes is, after 
the soil is prepared, to furrow out to the depth of from three to five 
inches with a small plow, distribute fertilizer in the row, and cover, 
or drop the fertilizer in the hill, and then the seed, perhaps whole 
and perhaps cut, along the furrow and cover either with a ridger, 
plow or hoe With the recent introduction of potato planters which 
go into a field that is prepared, carrying seed potatoes and fertilizer, 
and needing only to be guided back and forth to complete the job, a 
pair of horses and ordinary driver can now do the work of many 
men, and in most cases propably, more satisfactorily. With this 
1 shall give away until March 20, the following excellent publica- 
tions : Herds and Floelcs, of Chicago, subscription price $1.00 per 
year, a 16 pp. semi-monthly, printed on extra paper and well gotten 
up. The Western World, Illustrated, of Chicago, a large quarterly, 
finely illustrated, printed on very nice paper and in every way a very 
presentable journal, subscription price 25c. A publication we shall 
not be ashamed to give you. 
The Western World, Guide and Hand Book, of useful information, 
cost 50c., 96 pages, cloth bound, colored maps of every state. A 
little encyclopaedia in itself. 
Sec one of my special offers to find how you can get one or more 
of these publications without cost. 
