Cultivation of Arable Land. Potatoes. Ajtcr-culturt of. 107 



conveniently performed by a fmall fold ing- harrow invented by the writer, which 

 is drawn along the intervals by a fingle horfe, in which operation it applies mould to 

 the oppofite fides of two contiguous rows, deftroys the weeds, and pulverifes the 

 foil, without the inconvenience of levelling the ridges, which would not only era 

 dicate and break offmany of the roots and fhoots, but prevent the advantage of their 

 being kept dry. After this, when the potatoes are wholly up, the earth and weeds 

 are to be removed from them by going as clofe as poflible with an ebb furrow, and 

 laid into the middle of the intervals by a fmall plough with a very narrow earth-board. 

 This is to be performed exactly under the above circumftances ; as, when done 

 earlier, there may be inconvenience from thofe plants that are not fully up being 

 deftroyed, and, when delayed much longer, there will not be an equal degree of 

 benefit derived from the operation. It is likewife recommended that, in a few 

 days after the firft hoeing, the fame implement be paffed in the fame track to a 

 greater depth. By thus ftirring the earth in the intervals that had been trampled 

 down by weeders or other means, it is rendered free, and the weeds that had been 

 removed completely covered ; and after the weeds, thus covered up in the inter 

 vals, arc fully decayed and converted into new vegetable food, the earth is returned 

 to the plants with a double-earth-boarded plough, by paffing twice in the fame 

 track, and turning a flight furrow to each lide, the firft being made down hill 

 where the field is uneven, a perfon following the plough to remove the earth from 

 fuch plants as may have been covered in the rows by the procefs, as when left in 

 that manner, their growth is either wholly prevented or very much reftricted. 

 And in places where the plants are left without having the mould applied round 

 them, it is to be brought into contact with them by means of the hand-hoe. 



After the plants have advanced to the height of about fix inches, the earth is 

 again laid up to them (till higher by means of the double- earth-boarded plough, 

 paffing twice in the lines of the former earthings, but ftill confiderably deeper than 

 before. In this way the hoeing of the crop is completed.* 



By this method of conftantly keeping frefh mould applied to the ftems of the 

 plants during the period of their growth, the produce has been found to be greatly 

 increafed, as it affords a facility to the wires for extending themfelves in the loofe 

 earth thus laid up, as well as contributes to the perfect growth of the plants. It 

 has been afcertained by different trials instituted for the purpofe, that each feparate 

 hoeing or earthing up of the plants is ufeful in promoting a frefh fet of runners, 

 and that the potatoes are produced in tiers, according as the different hoeings 

 have been performec^; and it has alfo been found, that where the fecond and 



* Campbell in Bath Papers, vol. IX. 



Pa 



