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Article VIII, 

 AbJlraB of a Letter on the Culture of Potatoes. 



Gentlemen, 



OF all the roots produced in our fields and 

 gardens, none appears to be of fo much 

 confecjuence as the potatoe. As food for the poor, 

 they are certainly to be preferred to /t;urnips j ^nd 

 might be rendered equally ufeful for cattle. As a 

 fallow crop, they tend greatly to meliorate the foil ; 



particularly into that article. He did fo ; and received for anfwcr, that 

 Ms. Wright had all his ground ridged up when the crop was gatliered, 

 for the greater conveniency of getting them outag plean as poflible;— 

 that he alfo had the crop picked over and fcparated into two or three 

 different forts, which took up a confiderable time ; — and that he gave 

 the people employed vi<5\ual8 and drink all the time ; which were all 

 included in the general expence mentioned. 



From this explanation it appears, that an acre of potatoes, producing 

 364 bulhels, may probably be taken up in the ufual way for about half 

 the expence he has rated it ; and when half the expence of manure is 

 taken alfo from his eftimate, we think the nett profit of an acre fo cul- 

 tivated, and producing fuch a crop, would be at leaft nine pounds. It 

 may perhaps be faid, that in many places the rent of fuch land as is 

 proper for this purpofe would be higher than he has ftated it ; but, ad- 

 mitting this to be the cafe, the price of tiie crop when fold would ex- 

 ceed his eftimate fo much as to balance the account. 



To thefe certain advantages, arlfing from the cultivation of potatoe? 

 as a food for our tables, we wilh to call the attention of our readers to 

 a ftill further ufe, in which they would be a very profitable produc- 

 tion ; we mean, for feeding fwine and cattle. For thefe purpofes, they 

 are an excellent hearty food, and it has been proved by experience that, 

 J- wine and cattle \\'ill cat them very freely. 



being 



