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been grown in tlie open air. And Mr. Knignt observed, that the former 

 unfolded its blossoms nine days earlier, and ripened its fruit three weeks 

 earlier than the latter. The forced plant commenced and finished its 

 annual growth much earlier in the preceding year, than the plant which 

 had been constantly grown in the open air. Its season of rest, therefore, 

 sooner expired ; it became sooner excitable in spring, and thus with the 

 same stimulus of heat and light, it was enabled to make greater progress 

 and mature its fruit in less time. And so it is with potatoes. The villa- 

 gers, as I learned afterwards, grew two crops in the same year ; the seed- 

 tubers they sold, were from the second crop, but the sets they planted, 

 were from the first crop; and this accounts for the diflerence in the 

 period of ripening. The earlier the tubers are ripened, the sooner will 

 ;the produce of these tubers come to maturity in the following year. 



To obtain an increase of a ton per acre, but a few ounces will need to 

 be added to the produce of each plant. When cultivators think of this, 

 and of what Mr. Knight has said that soft and watery sets afforded more 

 vigorous plants and more abundant and larger tubers than he had ever 

 before obtained from the same variety, they must be convinced that this 

 is an inquiry which demands their best attention. If an increase of one 

 or two tons only could be added to the produce of an acre by this means, 

 it would be so much clear gain — obtained without any additional expense 

 of seed, labor, or manure. By attending to this point, by a judicious 

 selection of varieties, by using middle sized tubers for sets, by a proper 

 application of manure, by planting at the proper time, and at the proper 

 depth, and by nipping off the blossoms, it is not improbable that the 

 produce of an acre may be increased several tons. Attention to what 

 may be considered trifles in cultivation involving little or no additional 

 expense, may increase, in a very considerable degree, the aggregate 

 result. 



The average produce of potatoes in England is estimated at 10 tons 

 per acre, some say it is only about 8 tons. I need only mention in order 

 to show how much remains to be done generally, (and what a striking 

 illustration it affords of the truth of the axiom "Knowledge is power,") 

 that the produce of a crop grown by Mr. Knight, was pronounced by- 

 several gardeners and farmers in whose presence it was raised and weigh- 

 ed, to be equivalent to 34 tons, 8 cwt., lOTjbs. per statute acre. And 

 Mr. Knight felt satisfied that still larger crops may and will be obtained 

 from an acre of ground. 



