Rejioi't on the Cultivation of Potatoes. 507 



" 10. I get all the varieties in as early as possible, and to do this I plant 

 on land that has been green crop the previous year. 



" 11. About half a ton. 



" 12. I plant nothing but large potatoes, and in most cases cut them in two. 



" 13. I plant the rows about 36 inches apart, and from 12 to 14 inches 

 between the setts, this is in order to have plenty of room to cover them up 

 when disease shows itself. 



" 14. My practice is to plant the setts as near the surface as possible (above 

 the manure), cultivate as deeply as possible between the rows until the final 

 moulding up comes. In the first place I only partly mould them up, then I 

 take the mould-board off the ordinary plough and put this plough between 

 the rows as deeply as I can, to assist the drainage and loosen the soil ; it lies 

 in this state a short time, after which, with the double-mouldboard plough, 

 we add a little more to the potato rows. Planting near to the surface and 

 the frequent deepening between the rows are in my opinion the principal 

 reasons why we have so little disease on this farm. Another reason is that 

 when the disease shows itself we mould up until the foliage is almost covered, 

 bringing the ridge to as sharp a point as possible to throw off the water, which, 

 prevents the rain carrying the disease with it to the tubers. 



" 15. For several years we have had no disease at all on the potatoes, though 

 we invariably have the blotch on the foliage. 



" 16. To no appreciable amount does our crop ever suffer. 



" 17. The first planted potatoes generally show signs of disease on the 

 foliage at the end of July, the later planted ones through August ; in dry 

 weather it does not spread so much, but in wet very rapidly. 



" 18. Dalmahoys, Patterson's Victoria, Sutton's Redskin Flourball, and 

 Walker's Regent. 



" 19. I think the foliage of Patterson's Victoria does not become a prey to 

 it so soon ; but this may arise from being a later varietj^, and generally planted 

 after the before-mentioned varieties. 



" 20. The best results I have found from large-sized setts. 



" 21. I renew my stock (generally by purchase from Scotland) about every 

 other year, if grown longer the potatoes become smaller. 



" 22. It is, I believe, by our before-described method of cultivation and 

 planting of setts that we are so little attacked by disease on this farm. I am 

 aware that there are certain varieties of potatoes grown in this neigh bourliood 

 that are less liable to disease under ordinary management than the Dalmahoys 

 and other second early potatoes. 



" 23. My only plan is to mould them up so as to bind them from the 

 prevailing wind, that the water may be prevented from following down the 

 stems and affecting the tubers. 



" 24. In my case to cut off or pull up the toj^s upon the appearance ot 

 disease on the foliage would stop the growth of the tubers and deteriorate the 

 quality and quantity. I believe it diminishes the extent of the disease, but 

 at the cost of the crop. 



" 25. I think it much improves the quality of the potatoes to allow them to 

 remain in the ground some time after they are fully matured ; under the 

 ordinary system of management to do this would sacrifice the crop, but if 

 moulded up in the way I have before described thej^ will keep well in the 

 ground. We always keep our seed potatoes very thinly spread on a floor, 

 which I believe strengthens them very much. 



Being desirous of ascertaining Mr. Knowles's method of 

 treating the turnip crop which precedes potatoes on this farm, 

 that gentleman has favoured me with the following note on the 

 subject : — 



