Report on the Cultivation of Potatoes. 497 



applied in the autumn, if possible, and a dressing' of from 4 to 8 

 cwt. of artificial manures applied at the time of planting the 

 potatoes. Mr. Shirreff's practice differs somewhat from that 

 of other Lothian growers, for he applies the farmyard manure 

 in the spring, and the artificials as late as possible — just before 

 earthing up. He states as follows : — 



" I have made repeated experiments, and find that farmyard manure should 

 be applied in the drill, after having been, what we call, middened, and turned 

 over three weeks before being applied. The manure heaps should be care- 

 fully covered with earth on the sides, and old guano-bags used as a covering 

 for the top, after it has been dusted over with salt, Avhich checks the evaporation 

 of ammonia." 



From 10 to 12 cwt. per acre is the usual quantity of potatoes 

 planted in the Lothian s. As a rule, and preferably, the setts 

 are cut, but small ones are planted Avhole. Again, on this 

 point Mr. ShirrefF differs from his neighbours, for he says : " I 

 have experimented on this, and find the largest crops from 

 whole potatoes. They branch out more, and give more liberty 

 to the hoers to strike both near and deep, seeing it may do good 

 to have a stem or two lopped off." On the other hand, Mr. Scot 

 Skirving says : " Cuts of large potatoes give full-sized tubers, 

 whilst small seed gives a number of small-sized potatoes." 



The drills are from 26 to 30 inches wide, and the setts from 

 10 to 15 inches apart in the rows. The drills for the earlier 

 sorts of potatoes are not so wide as those for the later kinds, and 

 whole potatoes are planted nearer together than cut setts. 



With regard to the after-cultivation of the potato-crop, the 

 following quotations, in addition to those alreadv taken from 

 ]Mr. Shirreff's replies, will give a fair idea of Lothian practice. 

 Mr. James Skirving, of Luffness Mains, Drem, observes : — 



" As a rule, I never touch my potatoes after planting imtil they are pretty 

 well sprung, when on a favourable day I put the circular or drill harrow over 

 them with, a double turn. This removes all the weeds, and makes them much 

 easier hoed. By rolling soon after planting, the drills are too much levelled 

 for the drill harrows to catch the weeds, and more hoeing is required. When 

 the plants are fairly above ground, they are hand- and horse-hoed, and earthed 

 up as soon as the plants will admit." 



A slight variation in practice is thus described by Mr. Peter 

 Glendinning, of Dulming Bank, Edinburgh : — 



" Soon after planting, before the setts are lar sprung, the drills are haiTOwed 

 down, so as to bring tlie setts near the surface. After the potatoes appear 

 above ground, a drill-grubber is sent up between the rows. The rows are 

 then hand-hoed, a drill-grubber is passed between them a second time, and 

 finally the plough is passed between them to throw the earth up around the 

 plants." 



Mr, C. Rintoul, of Kingston, North Berwick, thus describes 

 his method of potato-cultivation : — 



VOL. X. — S. S. 2 K 



