1<S03»] On the Culture of Potatoes ana ti:e Caii/c of Curt. j 



that cattle may be fed off for the butcher with potatoes nearly as 

 ibon and as well as with turnip. 1 know fcveral farmers who 

 did fo laft fpring ; and I myfelf have practifed it frequently. 

 There is one precautioji, however, that is abfolurely reqiiifite to 

 prevent fuffocation, w-hich is, to take care that the catties heads 

 ihall never rife above the level of their body •, and this can be eafily 

 done, by fixing them with a chain to the crib infteadof the com- 

 mon way. If this method were more generally adopted, many 

 of the f mall farmers, who cannot have extenlive turm'p fields, 

 would be able to keep their live ftock in good order through the 

 winter, or feed off a beaft or two in the fpring, by whidi means 

 the loud and well founded complaints of the exorbitant price of 

 butcher meat would Iboner ceafe. 



But what I would chiefly obferve refpe6ling the value of pota- 

 toes, is, that lince the introdu6tion of the turnip hufbandry into 

 this country, and which has i'o effentially contributed to its im- 

 provement, the general folicitude has been for a proper fubftitute 

 when the turnip are exhaufted, either to fjniOi off what are in- 

 tended for (laughter, or to carry on others in good condition till 

 the fpring grafs comes forward. I know that ruta baga is the 

 fuccedaneum prefcribed in either of thefe cafes. But when 

 that is not to be had, or in a plentiful feafon of potatoes, fuch as 

 the laif, when they cannot be difpofed offer the food of man, they 

 become an admirable fubftitute for turnip. I am acquainted with. 

 one farmer who fed with potatoes without any turnip ; and two 

 others who had recourfe to them when the turnip I'eafon was 

 over, one of whom confumed to the extent of ico bolls. The 

 cattle were a little fhy at liril to take the potatoes after having 

 been ufed to turnip ; but hunger foon brought them to, and 

 they throve equally upon the one as the other. It is well known, 

 that horfes and \oung cattle thrive remarkably upon them, when 

 given in moderation, and in a raw ftatej and they increafe the 

 milk of cows very coniiderably. Let them, then, be largely and 

 ex^enfively cultivated as the food of man and beaft 5 as the means 

 of averting fcarcity ; as a good lubfti lute for turnip ; and though 

 not entirely equal to that crop for cleaning ti^e ground, yet a 

 good means ol' doing fo where turnip cannot be had. 



It h^s been obje^^ted, that potatoes are a more fcourging crop 

 than turnip. To a certain degree they are fo ; But a fmall 

 quantity ot manure applied to the fucceedmg crop will remedy 

 that defefl: ; and the great dift'trencc of value betwixt a good 

 crop of potatoes and one of turnips, may well bear that addi- 

 tional expence ; not to fpeak of their value as a fubftitute when 

 the (eafon of turnip is over, which to the farmer is moil invalu- 



Much fpeculation has b-^en held in your Magazine about the 



