The potato will grow on almost any soil; but a dry, rich, sandy
loam gives the best, if not the largest, yield. I do not think the
potato can be planted too early after the ground is fit to work.
One spring I was able to get in several rows the 15th of March,
and I never had a finer yield. I observe that Mr. Harris strongly
indorses this plan.
Nearly every one has his system of planting. There is no necessity
for explaining these methods. I will briefly give mine, for what
it is worth. I prefer warm, well-drained soils. Plow deeply in
autumn, also in spring; harrow and pulverize the ground as
completely as possible; then open the furrows with the same heavy
plow, sinking it to the beam, and going twice in the furrow. This,
of course, would make too deep a trench in which to place the
sets, but the soil has been deepened and pulverized at least
fourteen inches. A man next goes along with a cart or barrow of
well-decayed compost (not very raw manure), which is scattered
freely in the deep furrows; then through these a corn-plow is run,
to mingle the fertilizer with the soil. By this course the furrows
are partially filled with loose, friable soil and manure, and they
average four or five inches in depth. The sets are planted at once
eight inches apart, the eye turned upward, and the cut part down.
Pages:
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218