202 



are dead and the skin set, they are fully ripe and must be 

 gathered. 



The neglect to gather previous to the commencement of 

 the fall rains is almost equivalent to the abandonment of the 

 crop to the rot, which will immediately follow, should it be 

 in any way susceptible to the infection. 



The digging or rather plowing out should be done during 

 the dry weather in August. We have known crops which 

 were apparently sound, to have been partially removed at 

 the time recommended, while the balance (which was left a 

 a few days to be saturated by September rains,) were scarcely 

 worth the digging. T\iQjirst gathering remaining sound. 



By strictly pursuing the foregoing plan for several years 

 past both in this county and southern Pennsylvania, we have 

 never sustained damage to any extent, except where the 

 planting was unavoidably done in low places in the field, and 

 there it seemed impossible to evade the disease — even alkalies 

 proving unavailing. 



The average of the crop produced cannot be satisfactorily 

 obtained, little regard being given to the measurement of any 

 produce not designed expressly for the market. We suc- 

 ceeded during the season of 1850, in producing an average 

 of 340 bushels per acre, and have no hesitation in assert- 

 ing that an average of 200 bushels may be raised of any 

 ^ordinary season, provided they are properly tilled. 



The most profitable variety that is cultivated, we believe 

 ^' to be that commonly called the Pink-eye, so called from the 

 color of the pits or eyes ; but we think properly called by 

 English producers, Moulton White; their skin is white and 

 shape round. We do not like them so well as the Mechan- 

 ock or Mercer for family use, but are certainly more profita- 

 ble to raise, not being so susceptible of disease. We have 

 - mixed the two varieties in planting the same field, and have 

 discovered the Pink-eyes to be perfectly sound, whilst the 

 disease attacked only the Mechanocks. 



