166 Potatoes. [Part II. 



oi Jiour, it weighs 60 lbs. and leaves pollard and bran 

 to make up the deficienc}-. Then, as to the cost : the 

 ground must be equally good. The -seed is equally 

 expensive. But the potatoes must be cultivated during 

 their growth. The expense of digging and cartage and 

 stowage is not less than 2 1, an acre at present prices. 

 The expense of reaping, housing, and threshing is, at 

 present prices, 10s. less. The potatoes leave no straw, 

 the wheat leaves straw, stubble, and gleanings for pigs. 

 The straw is worth, at least 3/. an acre, at present 

 prices. It is, besides, absolutely necessary. It htters, 

 in conjunction M'ith other straw, all sorts of cattle ; it 

 sometimes helps to feed them ; it covers half the build- 

 ings in the kingdom ; and makes no small part of the 

 people's beds. The potatoe is a robber in all manner 

 of ways. It largely takes from the larra-yard, and 

 returns little, or nothing to it ; it robs the land more than 

 any other plant or root, it robs the eaters of their time, 

 their fuel, and their health; and, I agree fully with 

 Monsieur Tissot, that it robs them of their mental 

 powers. 



283. I do not deny, that it is a pleasant enough thing 

 to assist in sending down lusty Mrs. Wilkins's good half- 

 pound of fat roast-beef Two or three ounces of water, 

 earth, and straw, can do her no harm ; but, when I see 

 a poor, little, pale-faced, Ufe-less, pot-bellied boy peep- 

 ing out at a cottage-door, where 1 ought to meet with 

 health and vigour, I cannot help cursing the fashion, 

 Avhich has given such general use to this root, as food for 

 man. However, I must say, that the chief ground of 

 my antipathy to this root is, that it tends to debase the 

 common people, as every thing does, which brings their 

 mode of living to be nearer that of cattle. The man 

 and his pig, in the potatoe system, live pretty much 

 upon the same diet, and eat nearly in the same manner, 

 and out of nearly the same utensil. The same eternally- 

 boiling pot cooks their common mess. Man, being 

 master, sits at the first table ; but, if his fellow-feeder 

 comes after liini, he will not fatten, though he will live. 

 upon the same diet. Mr. Cukwen found potatoes to 

 supply the place of hay^ being first well cooked; but, 



