642 RADICACEOUS ESCULENTS. 



planted in pots forwarded on heat, and afterwards turned out into a warm 

 border, will effect the same object. For ordinary early crops in the open 

 garden the ash-leaved kidney may be planted in rows eighteen inches apart, 

 and six to eight inches asunder in the row, from the middle of February to 

 the middle of April. 



1409. The Lancashire practice, in planting for an early crop, is as fol- 

 lows : In the beginning of winter lay the ground up in narrow ridges, 

 two feet and a-half centre from centre, fig. 380, a ; in March the surface of 

 the ridges will be loose from the effects of frost, 

 dry from its position, and warmed by its ex- 

 posure to the sun to the depth of two inches 

 01 three inches ; collect this dry mould in the 

 ^^ * ^^ bottom of the furrows, between the ridges, as 



at b ; then lay on a little dung, and plant as 

 at c ; cover to the depth of two inches with dry 

 warm mould from the top of the ridge, and 

 when the plants begin to appear add two inches 

 Fig. 380. The Lancashire mode of m0 re, and again two inches when they appear 



planting potatoes & ^^ ^^ ^ ^ ^ p> ^j j,^ ^ 



also one of the best modes of planting a main late crop, whether in 

 the garden or the field, as testified by W. Falla, in Gard. Chron.^ 1842, 

 p. 252. 



1410. The fast gathering of early potatoes may be made by taking one or 

 two of the largest tubers from every plant by hand, previously removing a 

 portion of the soil with a small three-pronged fork, fig. 33, c, in p. 135, and 

 afterwards replacing the soil. This, especially if a good watering is given, 

 will throw more strength into the tubers which remain ; when the lower 

 leaves begin to fade the crop may be taken up as wanted, by digging up the 

 plants and collecting the tubers. 



1411. Messrs. Chapman's new spring potatoes. " The production of what 

 may be termed late young potatoes, has been achieved extensively by the 

 Messrs. Chapman, of Brentford. They employ principally for this purpose 

 a white kidney, not a late one ; but yet none of the earliest varieties. The 

 tubers are taken up in spring, and spread thinly on a hard dry surface, in 

 order to prevent their springing too far before the time they require to be 

 planted. The greening thus induced is to be regarded as an unavoidable 

 consequence of exposure to air and light rather than an essential condition ; 

 for forwardness could be otherwise easily promoted by a few days' earlier 

 planting, at the warm season, at which it takes place, that is, the middle 

 of July. They are then planted in the open ground in the usual way. 

 The crop is taken up before frost arid stored between layers of soil, whence 

 the tubers, being delicately skinned, are taken only as required for use, 

 forming, both as regards appearance and quality, a very fair substitute for 

 forced new potatoes till the following spring. Any of the earlier varieties, 

 such as the ash-leaved kidney, or early Manly, might be planted even later, 

 and still be in time to- produce tubers before frost ; and they would prove 

 equally delicate when first taken up, but would not retain the quality of 

 new potatoes so long after as a variety which is less disposed to attain an 

 early maturity." (JV. in G. M. 1842.) 



1412. For a main or late crop, sets, containing each a single eye, are 

 preferable. In cutting sets, enter the knife a little above the eye, slanting 



