The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1882-1884, 1883-04-12
POTATO GROWING.


Tuises Greiner, of Naples. n. Y
practical track farmer, gives thi
advice on the subject:
The quickest and easiest way to d.
stroy tie weeds that generally star
up about the time when potatoes al
UP, so that the rows can be seer
plainly, is by thorough use Of har
row or drag.
At least nine out Of every ten far
mers 60 to work with cultivator AM
hoe. in perfect ignorance of the fac
that the same object may be accom-
plish Ell much easier, and in one tenth
of the time, by the simple process O.
narrowing. fyou are one of the nine
study this lesson carefully and appl,
its teachings to practice. 1t will saw.
you many times the subscription
price of The Culticoto1 every year
The operation which l here recon-
mend, earnestly and emphatically,
may look like a very rough one to
you. Sometimes the drag teeth will
run right square through hill and
push the seed aside. ali inch or two
out Of its place; but never fear.
though more than half OF all the
larger tops lay pulled over fat on the
ground. Go right on until done, and
take my word for 1t, they will quick.
~ stTaighten u and grow faster than
ever before, stimulated bs this thor
ri, Ia6SNnip,r
whole surface. which at the same time
kills every weed in and around the
hills.
10 arrive at the same results without
narrowing, would require running the
cultivator through the field both WAYS.
and one thorough hoeing. All this is
saved, and the beneficial influence Of
the narrowing is felt for a long time.
l have dwelt longer ON this les,o.l.
feeling that its Importance cannot
we'll he over-estimated. Try the har-
row by all means
There is practice in use ia some
sections, which consists in throwing
furrow with a ,ne-horse pillow from
each side of the row towards the hill,
when the potatoes are few inc les
high, thus completely covering them
UP, and 1t the same time. killing the
We ks. think the former method is
the easier and better one. Later in
the season is early enough for Milling.
IT rightly managed. there is no use
for the hand hoe in the potato field,
unless large weeds. such as thistles.
mllkweeds, and the like, make their
appearance.
These must be pulled up by hand
Or cut off below the ground with a hoe,
an operation which should lot and
does not require much time. Other.
wise, all the welding and hoeiny can
be done by using the horse cultivator
and good shovel pillow. In fact, tile
latter leaves the hills in better shape
than they are generally made byI
hand. This rounding Oft may be more
pleasing to the eye, but large
square hill, with a depression in the
middle, answers better purpose, in
collecting rain and dew and carving
the moisture to the roots.
Let no weeds get foothold In your
potato field.
1t is not very difficult to accomplish
this: A timely and frequent use of
and shovel-plow is all that
Is needed. You will find Yourself in
a wrong position when expecting to
gain this important advantage OF saw
ing the labor Of hand-hoeins. without
giving its equivalent in horse power. :,
Inc general method ofeoing through
the field both ways, once onl, with
the cultlvator, and once with the
snovel pillow, will not do. You can
AFFORD to use the former implement
Twice or three times and the latter .
once or twice both ways. Commence ,
after narrowing the crop, just as soon :
as as new weeds show the first sign of I
lie, and repeat at least once a week :
Our own practice varies from the
above, in so far as we cultivate ons /.
way at first. then after lapse of from ,
three to five days the other way AMI :
30 on, alternately, in about equal No. :,
F,oas: Inns allows again Of saving /
d actual labor, and the dlsai. antave !
u naVipg tins work divided up in {
small parcels to be done at so MANY 4
'iherent times. while the most people h
you'd rather keep right at it aud have I
lone with 1t. is more than balanced j.
~ the benefit that the crop derives b
lom this frequent stirring of the soil. $
Many farmers when crowded with a
timer work, yield to the temptation y
# negleeting the potato field for
much longer time, than above men. n
Toned. This can be done only at the q
rice of many days hard labor in :
'sllspg weeds y hotipg by hand. j