The Potato Industry oe Colorado. 31 
cultivators of the east, are made heavy enough to stand the pull of 
four big horses and the strain of four shovels penetrating the soil 
from eight to ten inches. 
Cultivation is Begun within a week after planting, or before 
the sprouts have more than started, the planter having left a ridge 
which may be followed without difficulty. The cultivator shovels 
are four inches wide by fourteen inches long, and are moulded and 
adjusted so as to throw the soil toward the row, and the inside 
shovels are run so close as almost to throw out the seed. 
The Ridge and the Harrow. —After the cultivator is used, the 
soil is left with a considerable ridge over the row and a depression 
between the rows. This starts the work of ditching and provides 
drainage so that heavy rains will not flood the row. The cultivator 
should be immediately followed with a smoothing harrow, which 
is run parallel to the rows, for the purpose of making a soil mulch, 
and breaking down the clods, which are thrown up by the culti¬ 
vator. 
The Alfalfa Roots, or a large part of them, thus loosened and 
dragged out will be on top of the ground, where they will be dried 
out and killed. 
The Second Cultivation must be delayed ten days or so until 
the plants are up so that the rows may be followed. 
Guards. —In cultivating the second time, it is generally neces¬ 
sary to use guards on the cultivator to prevent the shovels from 
throwing down and covering the plants. 
Further Cultivation .*—If the work is properly done, these two 
cultivations will raise a ridge in the land so that ditching is com¬ 
paratively an easy matter. In many parts of the State these two 
cultivtions are all that are given, though when the season permits, 
or when rains are frequent, or in the mountains, between early irri¬ 
gations and before the vines are too big, it is desirable to cultivate 
once or twice more. Sometimes the only tool that can be used at 
last is a small cultivator between the rows. Cultivation of potatoes 
by the Greeley method is recognized as hard and skilled labor. 
IRRIGATING. 
The Rainfall in northern Colorado for May, June and early 
July, is usually sufficient to bring up plants and grow them until 
the tubers begin to form. This is rarely true in the mountains 
Irrigation Once Begun must be continued as needed until the 
crop is developed. Most successful growers hold that in geneial 
*The object of cultivation, rather than any fixed rule, should be 
kept in mind. If the soil is loose, leave the field alone, do other work 
against a time when cultivation is needed. One of the best crops we 
have known of was raised with only one cultivation as there was no 
rain and the soil staid loose. 
