USEFUL PROJECT'S. 
which time is generally about the 
end of June. 
- They will now require no further 
care, excepting that of weeding. 
« Lam of opinion that early fetting 
is advantageous, on account of the 
greater chance of early rain, which 
will be very beneficial to the plants 
if the fummer fhould he dry. By 
this procefs, the plants will be 
healthy ; the yotng potatoes will 
be formed in due feafon; they will 
grow gradually; the plant will ripen 
and die in due time, and will not be 
forced into a fecond growth by the 
rain which may fall in September. 
The fap being thus left in the po- 
* tatoe, it becomes a eed endued with 
an unimpaired perfect vegetative 
power; and the plants which are 
raifed from them will be found to 
be entirely free from the curl. 
N. 5. The potatoes may be dug 
as foon as they can be handled with- 
out crufhing the peel, that is, about 
the end of September. 
Sound potatoes are procured with 
the greateft certainty from earth 
that has been peeled and burnt: 
the foil thus prepared is well fuited 
to the growth of potatoes. In this 
they grow gradually, and are not 
forced beyond their natural fize: in 
doubtful feed, it is fAfelt to plant the 
{malleft potatoes whole. 
The foil the moft liely to pro- 
duce the curl, is that which is rich. 
in itfelf, much manured, and has a 
fouthern afpect. In other fituations, 
where the foil is not rich. and the 
garden is cold, either from its being 
upon the fide of a hill, or expofed 
tothe north, the curl has not yet 
appeared; which is known to be 
the cafe in the mountainous parts of 
Radnorfhire and Montgomerythire. 
This is perfeétly confonant with my 
theory ; for where the foil is poor, 
“cannot be 
85 
and the fituation cold, the pJants 
forced into a fecond 
growth by earthing and manure. 
I do not mean to difluade thofe 
who are anxious to raife large crops 
for immediate ufe, from earthing and 
manuring to the utmoft extent; I 
only caution them aguinft ufing po- 
tatoes fo raifed, for feed. By earth- 
ing and manuring, you will doubt- 
lefs raife large crops of large pota- 
toes perfectly good, as food, but im- 
perfect as feed; for the vegetative 
power will be impaired by this forc- 
ing cultivation. Hence it will be 
the intereft of every prudent culti- 
vator, to allot.a portion of his po- 
tatoe-garden to the raifing of feed- 
potatoes. If the direftions which I 
have given be followed, I have not 
the leaft doubt of fuccefs; at leaft 
I am certain that the curl will not 
make its appearance, 
The potatoe is alfo liable to other 
diforders: in very dry feafons, ex- 
erefcences will arife, vulgarly called 
the fcab; in moiift feafons, little 
holes or cavities appear, called the 
canker; and both thefe diforders 
increafe according to the length of 
time they resin in the earth, after 
having acquired. maturity. It is’ 
more than probable, that thefe dif- 
orders may haften the decdy, and 
caufe the curl. 
One method of preventing the 
difeafe, namely, by changing the 
feed, fas been already mentioned : 
-anotner tource of prevention offers, 
from raifing new: kinds from the 
feed or apple of the plant, or the 
fame kinds renewed again from the 
feed. Raifing new kinds from feed, 
however, requires no fmall portion 
of difcernment; for the feed from 
the fame plant will’ produce fo 
many varieties, that it requires nice 
judgment of the cultivator properly 
G3 to 
