Cultivation of the Potatoe. 11 



eficial to potatoes, and the more so in proportion to the close- 

 ness of its contact with them ; it should, therefore, not be 

 carted and put into the ground till just before the seed time 

 of ploughing. But for light soils, the dung must either be in 

 a more advanced stage of decomposition, or it must be mixed 

 with the earth by several ploughings. 



Very healthy potatoes are also produced by the use of 

 other active manures, such as scrapings of horn spread in the 

 furrows at the seed time ploughing, rags of wool, and the 

 refuse of the tan yard. Turning sheep on to the field after 

 the potatoes have been set, is likewise very efficacious in 

 promoting their growth, but it gives the tubers a bad flavor. 

 There is also a limit to the degree of cultivation proper for 

 potatoes ; if it be surpassed the haulm becomes excessively 

 large, and falls upon the ground >, the number of tubers is 

 then much diminished. 



In setting potatoes, it is necessary to select the most healthy 

 and vigorous tubers; not such as have already. been depriv- 

 ed of two or three of their buds, because the most vigorous 

 buds are always the first chosen. Especially must those be 

 rejected which have been much exposed to the cold, even 

 though they should not have -been much injured by frost. 

 Potatoes grown in pits, mounds, or hollows, where frost has 

 penetrated and destroyed a portion of tubers, are very uncer- 

 tain in plantations ; I am sure of this from my own experi- 

 ence. They either do not shoot up at all, or produce but 

 feeble plants ; great care should therefore be taken to pre- 

 serve those which are intended for setting. 



I am aware that many cultivators have obtained abundant 

 crops of large potatoes by planting none but small tubers j 

 nevertheless I prefer setting those of large and average size, 

 especially for certain varieties. Small tubers have not the 

 same power of germination as large ons, and often do not 

 germinate at all ; whereas, those of large size may without 

 injury be cut in halves. 



