142 ON THE AGRICULTURE OF 



the last few years, when almost all other sources of profit to the 

 farmer would seem to have for the time become dry, potatoes, 

 wherever they have been extensively grown, have proved a most 

 important mainstay. Last year, in Forfarshire for instance, 

 some farmers, who had little or no grain to sell and made small 

 profits from stock, realised so much for potatoes that after all 

 the year, most calamitous as it was to British farming generally, 

 was to them a profitable one. Another point in favour of the 

 crop is that it is an excellent preparation for wheat, which is, in 

 almost all parts suited to it, grow^n after potatoes. In Kincar- 

 dine only small patches of potatoes are grown. Potatoes require 

 liberal manuring, and also run up a very heavy bill for labour. 

 The expense of planting is being lessened by the adaptation of 

 mechanical appliances, but as yet planters have not come into 

 general use, Diggers, however, are to be found on every potato 

 farm. From fourteen to fifteen loads of farmyard manure are 

 allowed to the acre, with only a little artificial manure in some 

 cases, but in general a mixture costing from 2os. to 75s. per 

 acre. A few farmers give even more than this. The light 

 manures most generally used for potatoes are guano, bones, 

 superphosphates, and potash. The farmyard manure is found 

 to be more efficacious in the case of the potato crop when 

 driven straight from the court to the drills, than when it has 

 lain on the field for a time. In general potatoes are grown 

 after oats ; but ia some cases they follow lea, and in these latter 

 instances they often receive nothing but artificial manure, of 

 which they get a mixture costing from £4 to £5 per acre. 

 Some farmers spread the dung on the stubble field, and plough 

 it in during the autumn and winter, but the majority apply it 

 in the drills in spring. Many farmers are using less artificial 

 manure for potatoes than formerly, believing that forcing by 

 light manures increases the liability of the crop to fall a victim 

 to disease. Potatoes are planted as early in the spring as is 

 convenient. About one-half ton of seed is allowed to the acre. 

 The varieties most largely grown are champions, regents, and 

 Victorias. The crop is lifted as early as possible in October. 

 Sometimes it is sold before being lifted, either by the ton or the 

 acre. When the price is low, as it is this year, many store 

 potatoes in pits, and wait in hopes of an improvement in the 

 state of the markets. A pretty large quantity of potatoes are 

 given to stock when they are cheap or damaged by disease. 



Other Green Crops and Fallow. — Under other varieties of green 

 crop last season there were 1085 acres in Forfar, and 414 in 

 Kincardine. Mangold 7, carrots 37, cabbage, kohl-rabi, and rape 

 66, vetches, &c., 975 acres in Forfar — and carrots 28, cabbage, 

 &c., 15, and vetches, &c., 371, in Kincardine. The area under 



