Although horse-radish is a perennial, it gets woody the second year, so that the market gardeners grow it from fresh cuttings, called “Sets,” every year. These cuttings are taken off the side roots, from three to seven inches long, and from the thickness of a lead-pencil to that of a little finger. The cuttings are made when the roots are dug in the fall and may be stored all winter. Horse-radish grows very easily, but as it is a late season crop, and needs cool soil, there is nothing gained by planting it early. It requires very deep soil if the roots are to grow straight, long and tender. Only long, large, even shaped and uniform roots bring any price in the market. It may be planted with early cabbage or beets, and when they are harvested, the horse-radish takes the land. It will grow until freezing weather and is the better for being left in the ground as late as possible. Sets are planted either upright or slanting, three to five inches below the surface and from twelve to eighteen inches apart in rows. If they grow too fast they may be cut down two or three times, as horse-radish stands considerable ill-usage, if it is planted deep and in good soil. Before sending to market, wash the roots and trim them of all side shoots; tie them in bunches of six or eight; or they may be sold in bulk or by the barrel. The price ranges from ten to fifty dollars a ton, and in good rich soil four tons can be raised to the acre. The usual yield is only two tons. The extra two come from knowing how. But horse-radish can easily become a bad weed, for weeds are only plants misplaced. So plow the roots out as soon as you have dug your crop and have them removed. Although it is next to impossible to get them all out, they cannot do much harm if the ground is kept thoroughly busy with some other crop. There is a good deal of the Old Nick in Nature, and wherever she finds idle land she sets to work to grow weeds. She would just as readily help your crops; so it is for you to profit by her willingness. CHAPTER XIV. TUBER CROPS. POTATOES. A heavy yield of potatoes may be simply a matter of moisture and frequent tillage. The potato likes Scotland[5] and Nova Scotia because it thrives best in deep, cool, moist soil, finely pulverized and containing much potash. Knowing the conditions under which any crop grows well, is equivalent to growing a big crop, to the careful farmer, so if you want some potatoes, you may as well get the most possible. The average farmer raises 75 bushels to the acre, but it pays to be above the average. You ought to be ashamed to grow less than 200 or 300 bushels even taking 75 as a starting point, for, when you consider that by the exercise of brains and labor, all the way from 600 to 1300 bushels per acre have been produced, you may well decide to prove what you can do. You have a chance to beat the record.