6. D. HOWE’S POTATO MANUAL. 
15 
advance in farm machinery, extensive growers, or small ones for that 
matter, will find a real saving in the first cost of a potato crop. 
Then with the potato planters, there are the sulkey cultivators and 
the sprinkling carts for distributing paris green or other poison over 
several rows at once, and finally and not the least valuable, the really 
successful potato-digger. 
Speaking of diggers, — probably most who read this will say they 
are a failure — so they are, all but one or two out of the hundred or 
more different kinds. We will notice these again when we come to 
the harvesting of the crop. 
Of the methods of planting, one has been watched with consider- 
able interest during the past season and that is known as the Rural 
New Yorker Trench system. By this method of preparing the soil 
and planting Mr. E. S. Carman, the editor of the Rural New Yorker 
undertook to grow over 700 bushels per acre, on an agreement with 
the editor of the Farm Journal of Philadelphia, that if he succeeded 
the latter, Mr. Wilmer Atkinson, was to pay $50 to some charity and 
if he failed he would make this payment. 
Mr. Carman paid the money but at the same time demonstrated 
that the trench system had merit in it. The cause of the failure of 
the crop to exceed 700 bu. per acre was pronounced by the judges 
to be caused by the ravages of the flea-beetle instead of any lack of 
merit in the system. 
The essentials of the system are, to trench out the soil to a depth 
of eight inches and a foot wide, distribute fertilizer in the bottom 
which is stirred into the soil, cover with two inches of dirt, plant the 
seed, one foot apart in the row, cut so that each piece will have three 
strong eyes, and cover with soil so that the ground will be level. 
The advantages claimed for this system of planting are, the pro. 
tection of the crop against drought, the rendering of the plant food 
more available, and the protection of the tubers from sunburn. 
equal to 
for. It will be sent you direct 
V 5 , „ ,. , 
I shall Give Away until March 
20, this scale which weighs from 
l oz. to 240 lbs. Manufacturers’ 
price $5.00. for all purposes 
equal to what hardware dealers 
charge more than twice as much 
from the manufacturers. 
See special offer, how to get it. 
