1 24 Vultrcat ion of Arabic Land-Potatoes- Application of Crops of. 



culture and removal of the crop from the ground. It is perhaps in this way only 

 that the contradictory accounts of the effects of this fort of crop on the foil, and the 

 occasional fucceffivc production of full crops on the fame land, can be well rccon- 

 -ciled. The experience of potatoe cultivators in general appears, indeed, to fup- 

 port the conclufion ; as upon the more ftrong and heavy forts of foil, \vhcre be 

 nefit can be produced in the above manner, full croj^s may often be taken in fuc- 

 ccflion without much injury being fuftaincd ; while on the lighter kinds, where 

 much Jefs advantage is derived in this way, they become too open and exhaufted 

 for the fuccefsful repetition of this fort of crop, and even for the growth of wheat. * 

 And in Mr. Young s trials with the potatoe, introduced in a great many different 

 courfes of crops, it was found that the ftate of deterioration of the foil was in pro 

 portion to the frequency of the occurrence of fuch crops in the rotations. -\ The 

 experience and obfervations of the writer of the Agricultural Report of the North 

 Riding of Yorkfhire, however, incline him to the opinion that this kind of crop 

 does not impair the fertility of the foil on which it is produced ; as he has found 

 the grain crops after the potatoes, and thofe of the grafs feeds in fuccefTion to the 

 grain, equal to fuch as fucceeded crops of turnips. + The nature of the land to 

 which his practice and obfervation were confined is not, however, mentioned. 



On the whole, it may probably be concluded with fafety that, notwithftanding 

 the property which crops of this nature polTefs of mellowing and rendering the foil 

 more loofe and friable, they rob it of much fertility, and of courfe mould not be 

 often repeated, or have grain crops too frequently cultivated after them, without 

 the ground being replenifhed either by an adequate proportion of manure, or by be 

 ing laid down to the ftate of grafs. ]| 



It is alfo obvious from the circumftances that have been mentioned, that pota 

 toe crops are only proper and advantageous as a preparation for wheat in the ftiffer 

 and more heavy forts of land, on the lighter affording a ftate of foil more fuitable 

 for turnips, barley, and other crops that require the land to be loofe and porous. 

 It has been ingenioufly fuggefted, that much of that wafte may be prevented 

 which arifes from the digging up of potatoe crops before they arrive at a ftate of 

 perfect maturity, as is often done by fmall cultivators, by taking up fuch of the 

 -roots as prefent themfelves near the furface with care by the hand, as in that way 

 the part of the crop that remains will be improved inftead of being injured. 



Turnips. The introduction of this root into field culture has produced confider. 

 able alterations and improvements in the management of arable land, as well as in 



* Young s Annals of Agriculture, vols. XX. & XXIII. + Ibid, vol. XXIII. 



J Tuke s Corroded Report of the North Riding of Yoikfhire. 

 ]| Marshall s Rural Economy of Yorkfhire. 



