POTATOES 



tea time without prejudice to her supper and grog. But when 

 Mrs. Tomkins gravely answers, &quot; yes, Ma am, there is nothing 

 &quot; like a potatoe ; it is such a saving in a family,&quot; I really should 

 not be very much out of humour to see the tete-a-tete broken up 

 by the application of a broom-stick. 



280. However, Sir, I am talking to you now, and, as I am not 

 aware that there can be any impropriety in it, I now call upon you 

 to show, that I am really wrong in my notions upon this subject 

 and this, I think you are, in some sort bound to do, seeing that you 

 have, in a public manner, condemned them. 



281. But, there remains a very important part of the subject 

 yet undiscussed. For, though you should be satisfied, that 300 

 Ibs. of potatoes are not, taking every thing into consideration, 

 more than equal to about 30 Ibs. of flour, you may be of opinion, 

 that the disproportion in the bulk of the crops is, in favour of 

 potatoes, more than sufficient to compensate for this. I think 

 this is already clearly enough settled by the relative prices of the 

 contending commodities ; for, if the quantity of produce was on 

 the side of potatoes, their price would be in proportion. 



282. I have heard of enormous crops of potatoes ; as high, I 

 believe, as 10 tons grow upon an acre. I have heard of 14 sacks 

 of wheat upon an acre. I never saw above 10 grow upon an acre. 

 The average crop of wheat is about 24 bushels, in this part of 

 England, and the average crop of potatoes about 6 tons. The 

 weight of the wheat 1,440 Ibs. and that of the potatoes 13,440 

 Ibs. Now, then, if I am right in what has been said above, this 

 bulk of potatoes barely keeps place with that of the wheat ; for, 

 if a bushel of wheat does not make 56 Ibs. of flour, it weighs 60 

 Ibs. and leaves pollard and bran to make up the deficiency. 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, los. 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 litters, in 

 conjunction with other straw, all sorts of cattle ; it sometimes 

 helps to feed them ; it covers half the buildings 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 farm 

 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, 



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