92 
AMERICAN KITCHEN GARDENER. 
whether it be leveled at all. Another method of planting is, to plow the 
ground plain, keeping the furrows straight and regular, and drop sets in every 
third or fourth furrow. But before this is done, the ground should be plowed 
and made level and fine with the harrow. 77 
A writer for the N. E. Farmer , vol. ii, p. 331, gives the following as “an 
easy and cheap method of raising potatoes :—On an even and smooth piece 
of mowing, or pasture land, make deep, single furrows, with a plow, at 
three feet distance Fill these furrows with rye [or any other] straw, and 
drop your potatoes six or eight inches apart on the straw. Then, with a 
hoe, cover the potatoes by turning down the plowed furrows upon them. 
They will require no more attention till they are grown. No hoeing will 
be necessary. The same land may be improved as a pasture for sheep, as 
those animals will not eat, nor materially injure the tops of the potatoes. 77 
The after-culture of potatoes consists in harrowing, hoeing, weeding, and 
earthing up. All potatoes require to be earthed up ; that is, to have at least 
one inch in depth of earth heaped on their roots, and extending six or eight 
inches round their stem. The reason is, that the tubers do not, properh 
speaking, grow under the soil, but rather on, or just partially bedded in its 
surface. Potatoes should, generally, be hoed three times, though twice will 
do in ground not infested with weeds. The last hoeing should be finished 
beforh the plants are in blossom ; otherwise the plants will be apt to form a 
second set of roots, which will not have time to come to maturity, but will 
rob those first formed of their nourishment. If weeds are prevalent, they 
should be cut up or pulled out, but the plants should not be earthed up in 
that stage of their growth. Plaster of Paris, well pulverized, and applied to 
the leaves, has a beneficial effect on potatoes. 
Pinching off the blossoms .—It is now generally admitted, that a certain ad¬ 
vantage, in point of produce, is obtained by pinching off the blossoms as they 
appear on the plants. The fact has been repeatedly proved, and satisfac¬ 
torily accounted for, by Knight, who imagines that it will add an ounce in 
Weight to the tubers of each plant, or considerably above a ton per acre. 
Gathering the crop .—It is believed that cultivators are apt to err by gather¬ 
ing their potatoes too early. The roots continue to grow larger and better 
after the tops have attained their full growth. The Hon. O. Fiske, of Wor¬ 
cester, in an address to the Worcester Agricultural Society, says, “Nature 
has not accomplished its maturation at the period when the vines decay, and 
the farmer believes it to be ripe. It seems probable that the earth, by some 
unknown process, perfects its qualities after it has attained its growth. That 
potatoes which have remained the whole season in the earth are more fari¬ 
naceous, has been ascertained. 77 It may be stated, as a general rule, that 
potatoes succeed best when planted early and dug late. But it is more ad¬ 
visable to harvest them before the occurrence of thos.e soaking rains which 
generall y precede the setting in of winter. 
