Report on the Cultivation of Potatoes. 503 



I believe, been satisfactorily explained. With one exception, all 

 the growers report in favour of large-sized setts ; and the remain- 

 ing gentleman " knows no difference." 



Mr. J. Young (already quoted) contributes the following 

 remarks with regard to the susceptibility of his crops to potato- 

 disease : — 



' " If the land has been well shortened by frost after being turned up iu 

 winter, and if the weather has been dry when Avorking the land before 

 planting, the soil remains more open, the rain passes more readily into the 

 drains, and the crop is less susceptible to disease. 



"The Victoria Eegent [the sort which he has found_ least liable to disease] 

 has only been grown here for the last four years or so. It is very much 

 liked, and especially adapted for keeping over for summer use. This last 

 season, however, I had more disease in my Victorias than formerly. 



" I have found where the manure was spread on the stubble during winter, 

 and ploughed down, that the crop was less injured bj^ disease than where the 

 setts were jDlanted in the manure ; and the very next season disease was as 

 bad in the one case as the other. I believe it depends more on the weather 

 and season than the method of applying manure." 



The practice in this district appears to be to renew the seed 

 every second or third year, from moss land ; or in Cumberland, 

 from black soil to red, and vice versa. With the exception of a 

 further statement of opinion that high manuring (especially with 

 farmyard manure) conduces to the greater ravages of the disease, 

 and another record of favourable experience in mixing sawdust 

 with manure, no further light is thrown on the question of what 

 conditions either favour or retard the progress of the disease. 

 It is generally admitted that late potatoes should be raised as 

 soon as possible after they are matured. j\Ir. J. Young observes 

 on this head : — 



" I have found it better to harvest early if there is no disease in the haulm, 

 or if it has been checked ; but I have always found bad results from digging 

 while the disease is making way." 



XII. — Ieeland. 



There are six reports from Ireland, but none of them contain 

 much information that is new. The usual rotation is similar to 

 that which prevails in Scotland and the North of England, viz. : 

 oats after ley, then potatoes, followed by wheat or oats sown out 

 with grass seeds, which remain down two or three years. The 

 setts are almost always cut, and the testimony is practically 

 unanimous in favour of Skerry Blues, or " Skerries," as they are 

 sometimes termed, being the variety least liable to disease. Large 

 setts are stated to give the best result in four replies out of 

 six, the answers in the remaining two cases being indefinite. 

 Mr. J. Gargan, Land Steward to J. A. Farrell, Esq., D.L., of 

 Moynalty, County JNIeath, states that he has found an application 



