1804. On the Culture of Potatoes in the Hi^hlunds, 41^ 



fo they might export vaft quantities of r.utritious vegetable 

 food, tor the i'upply of our cities, our navies, and the Wefl \n- 

 dia niaiket. It does not feem nectflary to grind the potatoes in- 

 to meal in thefe regions, as iliey can be ground where they are 

 to be ufed ; and, from my experiments, it appeared that the 

 dried bits kept fully as well as the meal. 



The quantities of drifted fea-weeds (fuci)\\\ thefe regions, ia 

 immenfe ; but at prefent they are only colle6\cd and applied at 

 the time of ploughing and fowitig. 1 have feen fuch quantities 

 blown on fliore during fujiimer, that their putrefaction on the 

 beach infe<fted the air, to a great dlflance, with peitiicntial va- 

 pours. Were the people infured in a certain vent for their pro- 

 duce, they would fee the propriety of forming them into com.- 

 pods with mofs, which compolt would be applicable to every 

 foil but mofs; or they might compoll them with earth or clay 

 marl, which abounds in many places, which would make an ex- 

 cellent drefling for mofs> or any foil. As fhell-fand and lime- 

 ftone abound in thefe countries, they may either be applied di- 

 rectly to the foil, or mixed in the compods. When the interior 

 country is laid open by thofe roads which are forming by the aid 

 of Government, excellent (hell marl will be found in many lakes 

 and fwamps, which may be applied to the improvement of land. 

 There compofts may be made with the dung of cattle ; and com- 

 polts, when judicioully made and applied, always produce pota- 

 toes of a better quality than the putrtfcent manure, when ap- 

 plied by itfelf. 



The potato is an excellent plant for bringing mofs, or moor* 

 of a friable foil, into cultivation ; and the firft crop generally 

 pays all the exp^nce, with profit. As it thrives fo well in thefe 

 countries, I have no objeclion that the extenfion of its culture 

 Ihould be (llmulated by premiums from the Highland Society, 

 provided they be fo conducted as not to fet on the people to 

 mangle and abufe the land, and reiider it good for nothing afrer- 

 wards. But I iee no utility in forcing the production of potatoes, 

 in countries where they are not convertible into money j and 

 where they can only be confumed by the people who raife them. 

 Were their weight and bulk reduced, and their fubftance ren- 

 dered capable of being preferved any length of time, by ileani 

 kilns, their produdlion might be (limulated by premiums, or 

 otherwife, to an unlimited extent. 



Were it not to encroach too much upon your time, I could 

 fuggeft a plan of a ileam-kiin of this fort, covered with thia 

 fheet iron, which would effed the objects here ilcfcribed, with 

 the fmalleft pofhble expenditure of lucl. 1 ^m confident fuch 

 kilns would confuaie mwch kfi fudi tJUau tlie coj»anoii fiic-kiins .j 



