[ *6 ] 



cumftances plant two rows of the fame kind of 

 potatoes whole, the plants being all of equal weighty 

 and in the firft hoeing cut off all the Items fave one 

 to each plant in one row, and in the other leave all 

 the Items. Obferve the refult. 



Plant at the fame time other two rows in every 

 refpecl as the former, but inftead of cutting off the 

 fupernumerary ftems, pull them up by the hand. — 

 Obferve the refult. 



[Since the above was written, I attempted this experi- 

 ment, but I found that new ftems fprung up from thofe 

 that were cut over, fo as rather to augment than diminifh 

 their number, and alfo to retard the ripening of the ftems ; 

 and as thefe ftems bleed confiderably when cut, it feems 

 probable that the plant muft be weakened thereby. But 

 as this experiment was not made with fufficient accuracy, 

 no certain conclufiohs can be drawn from it. 



It appeared to me that if potatoes were planted very 

 fhallow, more ftems were always produced than if they 

 were planted deeper ; but in no cafe where potatoes are 

 planted whole, does it feem that a ftem is produced from 

 every eye. Perhaps the beft way of diminifhing the 

 number of ftems from large potatoes, is either to let them 

 fpring before they are planted, or to take them up foon 

 after they have germinated, and to rub off the young 

 fprouts as many as you incline. The germ becomes' a 

 plant adhering to the prefent bulb, whofe roots fpread on 

 its furface before they ftrike into the ground, and in that 

 ftate may be eafily feparated, and poifibly might be em- 

 ployed as plants. 



I have 



