27G BRITISH HUSBANDRY. [Cli.XXII. 



tlieir blossoms from tlieir first appearance, and found, wlien the crop was taken 

 up, not tlie least ditFerence in the weight*; and his statement is corrobo- 

 raled by a similar experiment recorded by the Rev. Mr. Findlater, and 

 made with all the accuracy which might be expected from so able an agri- 

 cidmrist; the result of which was a difference of nearly 38 to 37 in favour of 

 the produce of the untouched rows ; or, 



Weight, when plucked . 2140 stonel Dutch weight 



Ditto, unplucked . . 2200 ditto J per Scotch acref. 



Tn o])position to this, however, is the report of an experiment made by 

 the Honourable James Murray, of Aberdona, to whom the honorary silver 

 medal of the Highland Society was last year adjudged as being the best 

 account of effects produced by the plucking of the flowers. 



The soil consisted of two acres of a shallow loam, u])on a bed of wliat is 

 generally called " till ;" and the variety of the potato sown was one 

 which had been brought some years ago from Ireland, where it is known 

 as the " red potato." The whole field was divided into parts of three 

 drills each ; and, having explained what was to be done, to a few children 

 from nine to twelve years of age, previous to the appearance of any blos- 

 soms, they never allowed a day to elapse without looking after their charge, 

 and no sooner had a blossom begun to appear upon No. 1, than it was im- 

 mediately plucked off. The other two drills of each part remained un- 

 touched until the blossoms upon No. 2 seemed to be fully expanded, when 

 they were also plucked off; while No. 3 was allowed to ripen its fruit. 

 The whole crop was carefully gathered in distinct parcels, and when the 

 whole was dirried off the following was the result : — 



Drills on No. 1 contained 30 bolls 2 bushels. 



2 „ 27 „ 3 „ 



3 „ 26 „ „ 



Thus affording a superior produce by having the flowers plucked off; and 

 that according to the pcrioil at which it liad been done J. The difference, 

 however, probably depentls upon the season ; for in some years a con- 

 siderable gain has been thus obtained, while in others it has amounted to a 

 mere trifle §. 



Some other trials, however, made by Mr. Findlater, showed an advantage 

 to arise from the ])ulliiuj of the apples — the jn'oduce of the drills, from 

 which they had been taken on the 2SLh of August and the 9th of Septem- 

 })er, and those which were left untouched, being at the rate of about 51 to 

 41 in favour of the former, or 



Weight, when j)lucked, 6 tons 7j cwt.l English weight and 

 Do. unplucked, 5 „ 19^ „ ) acrejj. 



Cutting off the iLuulm or straw at different stages of its growth has been 

 found to occasion a deficiency in the crop in exact proportion to the earli- 

 )iess of its cutting. It was also prejudicial to Ihe quality of the root ; for 

 the tubers continue to improve till the stems begin to decay, but become 

 stationary the moment they are deprived of it, and consequently do not 

 arrive to perfection in either size or nutritive property. Thus, by |an 

 experiment tried by Dr. Anderson upon plants from which the haulm was 

 cut from the 2nd of August to the 5th of September, the loss in produce 



* Farm. Mag. vol. x. p. 480. f lb. vol. xi. p. IG. 



\ Transactions of the Highland Society, N. S., vol. iv. p. 23G, 

 ^ Ibid. vol. V. p. 87. 

 II raimet''s Mag., vol. xli. p. 504. 



