FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 30 1 



manures, such as fresh barn-dung, moss, peat, turf, old 

 woolen rags, &c, are all good for them. Any manure, that 

 serves to keep the ground loose and mellow, seems well 

 adapted for growing this plant. 



They muy be raised, of good size, by merely laying them 

 on a green sward, and covering them six or eight inches 

 deep with straw. Salt, brine, or seawater, is also good for 

 them, when applied in moderate quantities to the hills, or 

 rows. It is also found that weting them, and then rolling 

 them in gypsum, immediately before planting, greatly as- 

 sists the growth of the crop. 



Sward- grounds are commonly best adapted for their cul- 

 ture. The method commonly pursued in England, for rais- 

 ing the crop, is, we believe, the most expeditious, and, at 

 the same time, as well calculated to ensure good crops, as 

 any other, and is as follows : 



Break up the ground in the Fall, if it be a sward, and 

 give it a good harrowing, at a suitable time, the next Spring; 

 then spread, of barn-dung, or other suitable manure, at the 

 rate ot about twenty loads to the acre, over the ground ; 

 when it will be ready to commence the operation of 

 planting. 



In order to this, begin with runing a furrow, of a suitable 

 depth, and into this furrow the dung lying on the surface is 

 drawn, from a dibtance of about twenty- seven inches along 

 next the furrow, and distributed evenly along its bottom. 

 On this the potatoes, cut in pieces, are laid along, about 

 eight inches apart, and they are covered by the next furrow. 

 Then two more furrows are run, the second of which is to 

 be the bed for the next row, and the dung is again drawn 

 into this, and the seed laid, as before, which are again co- 

 vered by the next furrow ; and so the work proceeds. The 

 rows in this way are in every third furrow, or at the dis- 

 tance of about twenty-seven inches apart. 



It the seed-potatoes are not cut in pieces, but planted 

 whole, they should be laid about eighteen inches from each 

 other ; and in this case the dung should be collected more 

 together, at the places where the potatoes are to be laid. 

 ' There is. very little gained by cuting the seed in pieces for 

 planting. 



When the plants have risen about six inches above 

 ground, it is to have a good harrowing, across the rows; 

 and the hoe is to follow, for the purpose of seting the 

 plants right, where covered, and drawing some earth round 

 them. 



In due season, a furrow, with the one-horse plough, is to 

 be run on each side of the rows, with the earth thrown up 

 to the plants, which is to be followed with the hoe, which 

 completes tjie process for raising the crop. If any weeds 



