488 Report on the Cultivation of Potatoes, 



free, although they were cut down early, while iu many places the crop was 

 almost destroyed. 



" Last season there were Kidneys, Regents, Blues, and Leather Coats 

 planted in one field. The Kidneys were fully matured when the rain came, 

 on the 17th of August, and resisted the disease. The rest were in a growing 

 state, and two-thirds of the tubers decayed. 



" The tubers of potatoes grown on land reclaimed from brake or wood are 

 rarely diseased." 



V. — South-east of England. 



Under this heading I have included eleven replies, namely, 

 one from Hertfordshire ; three from Bedfordshire ; five from 

 Cambridgeshire ; two from Essex ; and one from Suffolk. 



Potatoes are generally planted in this district after a white- 

 straw crop on the four- or five-course system of cropping ; but 

 some growers on the silty lands take potatoes every other year, 

 the intervening crop being generally wheat ; and others in the 

 market-garden districts take them after a variety of market- 

 garden crops. Manuring in the autumn, either on the stubble 

 or immediately after the first ploughing, is the usual practice ; 

 and many growers add a dressing of artificial manure (generally 

 superphosphate or Peruvian guano) at the time of planting. 

 Mr. J. T. Smith, of Outwell, Wisbeach, has compared the 

 results obtained from the same value of Peruvian guano, super- 

 phosphate, salt, soot, lime, blood and fish manures, &c., and has 

 found them much in favour of guano. 



The system of cultivation pursued when the farmyard manure 

 is applied in autumn is thus described by Mr. Smith : — 



" After cleaning wheat stubbles directly after harvest, manure with ten or 

 twelve loads of j'ard manure (mellow), till in (say 4 inches) in November ; 

 plough crossways iu January, 8 or 10 inches deep, with a subsoil plough after 

 a common plough, thus getting from 12 to 14 inches pulverized soil ; let it 

 lie till wanted for planting early in March, when go three rounds on each open 

 fun-ow and harrow crossways to level the land." 



The planting and after-cultivation as practised by Mr. Smith 

 are described as follows : — 



" After fifteen years' experience I adopt the following' system : — Open on 

 the west side of the field with an ordinary plough (with marker attached 

 the distance required) four rows about 4 inches deep ; the setters will plant the 

 first row opened, which the plouiih covers up on the return after opening 

 the fourth : thus continue throughout the field ; the land thus lies in ridges 

 well exposed to the sun, to kill all roots exposed. My next step is to subsoil 

 between the rows with two horses attached to a Howard's ridging plough, 

 minus the breasts, with a 14-inch share with an upright taunt 6 or 8 inches 

 long, riveted through the share about 2 inches from the point of each wing : 

 this thoroughly pulverizes the land between the rows, without disturbing the 

 setts ; makes a beautiful mould for horse-hoeing, moulding up, &c. 



" As soon as the potato has sprouted, say Ij inch, by which time many 

 annual weeds will have started, run a chain harrow over them : this pulls 



