118 Cultivation of Arable Land. Potatoes. Prefervation of Crops of. 



in particular cafes in the trials of different cultivators, as from feven hundred 

 to a thoufand bufhels ; but in fuch inftances the land muft have been very rich, 

 and peculiarly fuitable for the purpofe, and the feafon unufually favourable to 

 the crop. 



Many different methods of prefervation have been attempted in order to 

 prevent the injurious effects of froft, moifture, and germination, on the potatoe, 

 during the winter and early fpring feafons : as by the firft it is rendered wholly 

 ufelefs as an article of food ; dampnefs makes it quickly liable to become rotten ; 

 and by fprouting its flavour is confiderably impaired, confequently it is lefs proper 

 for the purpofe of eating : but no perfectly effectual and at the fame time con 

 venient mode fecms yet to have been difcovered. As by too much humidity and 

 heat the vegetative procefs may be excited too expeditioufly, while on the con 

 trary the deftruction of the vital principle may have a tendency to haften the pu 

 trefactive fermentation, the great art of obviating fuch effects in this as well as 

 other roots, when removed from the earth, would feem to confifl in preferving 

 them in fuch a flate of life, and in fuch fituations, as that they may not be liable 

 to receive injury by too high degrees of either heat or cold, or by excefTes of 

 moifture. This may be accomplifhed by keeping them perfectly dry, and as 

 much as poflible in a medium degree of temperature, between the extremes of 

 about forty-eight and thirty-two of Fahrenheit s thermometer ; in the former of 

 which the procefs of germination for the moft part takes place, and in the latter 

 the deftruction of the vitality of the roots by the occurrence of froft.* Such 

 a fteady temperature, under the conftantly varying circumftances of this cli 

 mate, is not however eafily attained, and the roots at the fame time preferved 

 in a ftate of fufficient drynefs. It has, notwithstanding, been attempted by 

 burying them in pits below the furface of the ground, by depofiting them in 

 vaults and cellars or other fimilar fituations, and by placing them in houfes 

 conftructed for the purpofe. 



The firft method, though practifed in many diftricts, is feldom completely fuc- 

 cefsful, except where the foil is of a very dry and porous quality, and the inclofing 

 of the potatoes conducted with great care and attention. And, indeed, what 

 ever care may have been beftowed in the ftoring of them in this manner, there is 

 moftly danger from their becoming too much impregnated with moifture from 

 the furrounding earth, and from the clofenefs and warmth of fuch fituations dif- 

 pofing them to vegetate too quickly in the early fpring months. Where it is 

 employed, the beft means of guarding againft thefe effects is, however, to have 



* Darwin s Phytologki, p. 483, t Ibid. 



