175. Improvement of Potato cultivation. 



On pent done conclure que les terres g£neralernent en 

 culture a Maurice, qui sont tontes moins pauvres que cells 

 en question, ne sont pas encore us6es, et que si elles ont 

 perdu quelques el^mens de grande fertilite, elles produi- 

 raient encore de beaux resultats, si elles pouvaient etre re- 

 routes par de bons labourages qui sont une des premieres 

 conditions pour maintenir la fertilite d'un sol. 



Je dois faire remarquer que dans mes essais, j'ai pris 

 pour terme de comparaison le sable siliceux dont la pesan- 

 teur specifique est 3.289; ce qui etablit une grande diffe- 

 rence avec les pesanteurs spexifiqnes de nos terres, et 

 demontre le peu de matieres siliceuses que celles-ci con- 



tiennent 

 Port-Louis, ce 7 DScembre 18VT. 



Improvement of Potato cultivation, by Dr. 

 Klotzsh, of Berlin. 



a The idea of it is, to pinch off about half an inch from 

 the ends of the twigs of each plant twice in the course of 

 the season; first in the fourth or fifth week, or when the 

 plants are from 6 to 9 inches above the soil, and again in the 

 teuth or eleventh week. The object is to prevent all th« 

 force that would be expended on these to the roots, as well 

 as to the stems and leaves, whose action on the air minist- 

 ers to the growth of the tubers beneath. It is said that 

 in this way the produce of the potato will be very much 

 increased, while the liability to blight will be diminished. 

 A more limited form of the practice has been in existence 

 for some time; but it is worth being tried to the full extent 

 now mentioned. » — Liebig, (Researches on the nature of the 

 juices in the animal body.J 



