106 Cultivation of Arable Land. Potatoes. After-culture of. 



ly a foot higher in the ftem, and about a month earlier, fomc of the dibbled being 

 taken up at the fame time, in order to mew the difference. The whole was hoed 

 three times in the fame manner during the fummer ; and when taken up, on com 

 paring the different crops, the drilled was found to produce a quarter more than 

 the dibbled. Befides, the potatoes were larger and nearly a month earlier, both 

 \vhich are advantages of considerable importance.* 



It has alfo been fuggefted as neceffary, where potatoes are planted in rows on 

 land without manure, or where the manure has been previoufly incorporated with 

 the foil, to draw the furrows or drills much fhallower than when the manure 

 is to be placed below them, otherwife injury may be done by the crop being put 

 in to too great a depth. t 



After- culture. The proper management of the potatoc plant, after it begins 

 to appear above the ground, is a point of great importance in its culture, as it is 

 only by proper attention in this refpect that full and abundant crops can be pro 

 duced. 



As it has been already feen that the roots of this fort of plant rife towards the 

 furface while they are in a ftate of growth and forming their knobby bulbs under 

 the ground, it muft be obvioufly of great advantage to have the mould in a loofe 

 mellow condition frequently applied to them, as by fuch means the branching out 

 of the ftringy root-moots or wires is not only greatly promoted, but the diften- 

 fion of the bulbs more perfectly fecured, as well as the diligence of the cultivator 

 fully repaid by the increafe of produce. In order to effect thefe purpofes, it 

 is the general practice in the belt-cultivated potatoe diftricts to have recourfe OQ- 

 calionally during almoft the whole growth of the crop, to fuch means as pulve~ 

 rife, clean, and bring up the fine mould thus provided to the roots of the plants. 

 Thcfe are the harrow, the (him, the hand, the horfe-hoe, and the double mould 

 boarded plough ; by the former, the furface mould is rendered fine and powdery, 

 while the latter is beneficial in bringing it up to the rotfs of the plants. In per 

 forming thefe operations, it is the practice of a cultivator who has had much ex 

 perience in raifing potatoe crops, to harrow the land over when the growths from 

 the fets under the furface are advanced about an inch ; which is only to be afcer- 

 tained Isy infpection, as the germination of the fets varies confiderably according 

 to the circumftances under which it takes place. The above period is fuppofed 

 the moft proper, from the more advanced growth of the weeds rendering their 

 extirpation more complete, as well as from there being danger of injuring the 

 young moots by breaking them off when delayed much longer. This procefs i* 



Englilh Encyclopaedia, ait. Hufl&amp;gt;amlry i Bath Papers. 



