THE POTATO 487 



some profits; the first half of July is, as a rule, bet- 

 ter than the ordmary late or main crop, and the 

 latter haK of July as good as winter marketing. 



"With the advent of August, prices often fall to 

 a very low point, and the risk of disease being very 

 great, only those growers who are in favored po- 

 sitions as respects markets and freightage can suc- 

 ceed. It should be borne in mind that the cost of 

 production is much greater than in the case of the 

 late crop, and unless several pounds sterling per 

 acre more is received for the early crop it is not 

 profitable. Within the last twenty years great de- 

 velopments have taken place in this industry. 

 Foreign countries have participated in a trade 

 which was thought impossible to them, and in our 

 own country the crop has been greatly accelerated. 



"The season opens in April with potatoes from 

 Malta and Teneriffe. In May great quantities 

 are poured into our markets from Jersey and Cotes 

 du Nord, France. Strangely enough, the next 

 place in point of earliness is a strip of seaboard, on 

 the west coast of Scotland, where for fifty miles in 

 Ayrshire and Wigtonshire the Gulf Stream exer- 

 cises a beneficent influence directly through the 

 North Channel, and renders that district singu- 

 larly immune from spring and May frosts. The 

 Ayrshire season commences generally about the 

 middle of June. Good crops ready to raise at 

 that date are worth £40 per statute acre, and are 

 sold growing to merchants, who take all further 

 risks and bear the expense of raising, the farmer 

 having no more to do except cart the potatoes to 

 the nearest station. 



"Ireland's share in this lucrative industry has 

 hitherto been small, although her physical con- 

 ditions are extremely favorable. It would not 



