OF THE COUNTY OF DOWN. 103 



are amongft thofe plants, -which do not produce blof- 

 foms the firfl year from the feed. In anfwer to this I beg 

 leave to fay, that they not only bear blofToms, but feed, 

 the firft year, as perfect as at any period, and that I 

 have now in my pofieffion feveral potatoe-apples ga- 

 thered from ftalks, produced from feed, which I fowed 

 and tranfplanted myfelf in the fpring of 1801 ; the 

 feed was fown in boxes, and kept in the houfe until the 

 plants were fufficiently large to remove ; nor are thofe 

 potatoes, which grow on the ftalksy and which the 

 Doflof calls aerialj peculiar to any kind, but are fre- 

 quently met with in favourable feafons, when the ftalks 

 are luxuriant, and in rich. foil, like Major Trowel's. 



Time of planting. For early planting, February, 

 March ; for a full crop, the latter end of April, or the 

 beginning of May ; in boggy ground, any time in the 

 month of May, or even the beginning of June. Plant- 

 ing potatoes, that have budded in the houfe, and have 

 been hardened gradually by the admiffion of air, is die 

 mofl expeditious way of raifing early potatoes, pro- 

 .vided proper ftcps are taken to fecure the buds from 



froft. 



- 



The culture whilft growing has been fully detailed 

 in Mr. Chrifty's account. 



Time of taking up. Different, according to the time 

 of planting, and the fpecies of potatoes* They never 

 fhould be put together in large quantities, unlefs they 

 : are completely ripe, and tolerably dry ; for they lofe 



their 



