102 Cultivation of Arable Land.Potatoes.Method of planting of. 



the furrows in which the horfcs go, in fufficient proportions for the three drills. 

 It is then divided and fpread out in the different rows in as equal a manner as 

 poffible by women and children, the fets being put in upon it at the diftances of 

 about twelve inches from each other, the whole afterwards covered in by the 

 plough, by fplitting the ridges betwixt the rows, pafling twice in the fame track 

 as in opening the furrows for the rows. 



There is another method of planting this root, that prevails pretty generally 

 in the more dry diftricts, which is that of fpreading the manure over the whole 

 furface of the land in an equal manner after it has been well prepared by twice 

 ploughing and harrowing ; the fets are then planted in every third furrow, the 

 dung and fine mould being turned upon them by the plough. This mode of fet- 

 ting potatoes is probably the moft adapted to thofe forts of foil and fituation in 

 which the moifture is apt to be too readily diflipated, as by p refer v ing a level 

 furface it may be more fully preferved in the interfaces of fuch porous foils. As 

 the whole of the furface is in this way covered with dung, it is obvious, how 

 ever, that a confiderably larger proportion of manure will be neceflary, than 

 where it is depofited in the drills only; it muft of courfe be an improper 

 mode in fituations where that article is not eafily procured. 



And in the county of Chefter, where this ufeful root is extenfively cultivated,, 

 it is moft frequently the cuftom to form the land into narrow beds of about five 

 feet in breadth by the plough, the manure, when riecefTary, being previoufly 

 fpread out evenly upon the ground, and turned down. The fets are then 

 planted by means of a dibbling- (tick to the depth of about three inches in rows 

 ten inches apart, and alternately ten and twelve inches in them,, fo as that the 

 root-moots of the plants may occupy the ground as completely as- poffible with 

 out interfering with or injuring each other. When the fhootsi of the plants 

 fir ft appear upon the furface, each of the furrows or divifions between the beds 

 is dug out to the depth of about one fpit ; the loofe earth thus raifed being cail 

 as evenly as poffible over the plants in the beds, by which they, as well as any 

 weeds that may have fprung up, are covered, and the growth of the former 

 greatly promoted, while the latter are in a great meafure deftroyed. And in 

 cafes where the ftaple of the land will admit of it, in about a week or ten days 

 afterwards a fecond covering is dug out and thrown over the crop in the fame 

 manner, by which its growth is ftill farther promoted. In this mode of plant 

 ing, as much frefh earth is from time to time applied to the plants, their vi 

 gorous vegetation is not only fecured, but the extenfion of the roots rendered 

 more full and complete. As a quantity of frefh earth is thus annually furnifhed 

 for be growth and fupport of the potatoe, it is afferted that repeated crops 



