OF THE COUNTY OF DOWN, 97 



dcfcription ; at the fame time it is of too much confe- 

 quence to mankind at large to be (lightly parted over : 

 I fhall, therefore, make a few obfervations on the dif- 

 ferent modes employed here, and give a detailed ac- 

 count of the moft approved practice. 



ift. preparation. For the old or lazy-bed : way, the 

 preparation is very limple , dung fpread on grafs 

 ground, or ground that has been under wood, or any 

 kind of unprofitable production -, as whins, heath, 

 rufhes, &c. &c. This, though not the claffical mode 

 of railing potatoes, has its ufe, in bringing land imme- 

 diately into profit, that under any other culture would 

 require a year or two ; and, befides, much land can be 

 cultivated this way, which from its nature would not 

 admit of tillage with the plough: that which is too 

 wet, that which is encumbered .with {tones, .or that 

 which being lately covered with wood is full of roots, 

 or that which is too fteep for cattle to plough ; in 

 thefe and in ilmilar circumftances the lazy-bed way is 

 not only excufable but advantageous ; to which may 

 be added, that potatoes, produced from frefh foil thus 

 managed, are fuperior. in quality to thofe of a more 

 perfect cultivation. The leflened produce, and in- 

 creafed expenfe, are weighty arguments however 

 againft the practice. 



.. -* l ^.,: i- v 



_ 



Killough, that had produced good crops of this root near 

 forty years; the year I faw them, 1801, they were better 

 than ever they had been. 



o Another 



