492 Report on the Cultivation of Potatoes. 



notwithstanding his own practice of changing seed every two 

 years, Mr. Lake remarks on this point : — 



" I have not found change of seed diminish liability to attack of disease. 

 I know a case in which tlie seed has been saved yearly from the same stock 

 grown in the same field, which has not been found more liable to disease than 

 fresh stock. The sort was Myatt's Prolifics : the time ten years." 



The foregoing extracts are from Kentish replies ; the following 

 are from correspondents farming in the county of Middlesex. 



In both counties heavy manuring is the rule ; Mr. Johnston, 

 of Gunnersbury House, Isleworth, applies as much as 30 to 40 

 tons of stable manure, commencing in March and continuing 

 immediately before planting until the whole breadth has been 

 got in. The alternative practice is described by Mr. Newman, of 

 Hayes Court, who applies about 25 tons of good stable manure in 

 October and November, on the pared stubble, and ploughs it in 

 soon after. He remarks, "Autumn manuring, I have always found 

 a check to the virulence of the disease ;" and again, " Previous 

 to autumn cultivation I have lost three-fourths of my crop ; since I 

 have never lost more than one-third." He also states, " I pro- 

 cure my seed-potatoes from Scotland every year, and my experi- 

 ence has proved that I had better give 10/. per ton for this 

 change, than 5Z. for those grown more than one year in the south, 

 both for quality and hardihood." 



VII. — LiNCOLNSHIKE. 



Five reports illustrate the cultivation of the potato in this 

 county, two being from the warp-land district, near Brigg, and 

 the remainder from similar land in the south-east of the county. 

 Some growers take potatoes and wheat alternately for many 

 years in succession, others pursue a three-course shift, consisting 

 of (1) wheat, (2) beans, clover, flax, tares, or turnips, and (o) 

 potatoes, followed again by wheat, being practically the same as 

 the Yorkshire course to be next described. 



The preparation of the warp-land is thus described by Mr. G. 

 Moon, of Normanby Grange, Brigg : — 



" The seeds I have had broken up before harvest and well worked ; after 

 .harvest well ploughed again with three horses ; and, if the weather will allow, 

 well worked and dragged, and ridged up for the winter. In the spring I 

 .split the ridges, and let them remain a little to warm; then plant my 

 potatoes, — I don't mind how early, if the land is in a proper state. I cannot 

 give any dates, as it depends entirely on the state of the weather and your 

 own judgment about the knowledge of the land; in fact, your work depends 

 entirely upon the season. I have been supposing now a favourable season, 

 but should it be anything like the spring of 1872, the splitting, the harrowing 

 down, the rolling and ridging up again, are something too much to describe 

 here. If after flax, I have the land skimmed over before the flax is stacked, 



