i * ] 



PAPER SECOND. 



ON THE EFFECTS OF CUTTING THE STEMS OF 

 POTATOES WHILE GROWING, &C. 



T 



§. i. 



HE Items of potatoes, if cut while growing, 

 and ufed green, are found to be a wholfome 

 food for cattle and horfes. But though fome farmers 

 maintain that the produce in potatoes is not lefTened 

 by having the ftems cut off while they are in a ftate 

 of vigorous vegetation ; others as pofitively infift 

 that the crop is eflentially injured by that operation, 

 It is proper that this point fhould be afcertained. 

 Probably the crop is hurt if the ftems are cut over 

 before they have attained a certain point of matu- 

 rity, though it is poflible they may be afterwards 

 cut without doing any effential injury to it. 



The following experiments were made in the 

 year 1779, with a view to afcertain the foregoing 

 particulars: — 



Experiment Fifth. 



With a view to afcertain the weight of green ftems of 

 potatoes at different periods of their growth, nine flems of 

 potatoes, being part of three rows, and three plants in each 

 row, were cut over in the middle of the* field as reprefented 



by 



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