[ ioi ] 



taken up* and my attention was fo much engaged 

 at that time with more interefting concerns, that 

 the prefent fubject of inveftigation never occurred, 

 fo that I made no remarks on that crop.] 



If a dry feafon does not necefTarily infure meally 

 potatoes, fo neither does a dry foil always and ne- 

 cefTarily produce that efTect. I have frequently feen 

 the fame kind of potatoes, and of the fame year's 

 produce, reared in two different places; the one of 

 them in a foil which was naturally inclined to damp- 

 nefs, which were much freer and more meally than 

 the others which were reared on a drier and fharper 

 foil. This I'have fo often remarked, that I cannot 

 be miftaken as to the fact. I have, no doubt, as 

 often obferved that the cafe has been reverfed. I 

 believe it will be alfo found to be a fact, that pota- 

 toes which are raifed in thofe diftricts of the coun- 

 try, where the foil is of a hot fandy nature, are 

 ufually more free and tender than thofe which are 

 reared in countries where the foil in general is cold 

 and damp. Such feemingly contradictory pheno- 

 mena as thofe abovementioned are not uncommon 

 in agriculture, and often give rife to falfe opinions, 

 which are followed by erroneous practice. In order 

 to difcover the caufe of thefe feeming contradictions, 

 conjectures may be freely hazarded, if they are de- 

 livered only as conjeRures, not to influence our rea- 

 H 2 foning, 



