SECT. XV. OF ESCULENTS. $53 



of a width and length at pleasure, according to the 

 quantity, bat commonly about five or six feet wide. 

 This is done by digging a spit of earth, and laying 

 it round the edge, a foot wide (if turf the better) fill- 

 ing the space up with straw, and then laying on a 

 course of potatoes, dig earth from the outside, and 

 lay upon the first earth. Put straw a few inches 

 along the inside edge, then put in more potatoes, 

 and so on, keeping a good coat of straw all the way 

 up between the potatoes and the mould, which should 

 be about six inches thick all over; beat it close to- 

 gether, and the form it lies in, with the trench all 

 round, will preserve the potatoes dry ; and the 

 sharpest frost will hardly affect them ; in a severe 

 time of which, the whole may be covered thickly with 

 straw. In the spring, look over the stock, and 

 break off the shoots of those designed for the table, 

 and repeat this business to preserve .the potatoes the 

 longer good. 



PUMPIONS being tender, are raised on a moderate 

 hot-bed, in April, or May, according to the time de- 

 sired to have fruit at. After the seed has been up a 

 few days, prick the plants out at four or five inches, 

 or rather put them in small pots, one in each. When 

 a month old, they may be planted out about four 

 yards asunder, one of the large sorts, or two of the 

 small ones, on a hole of two or three barrows full of 

 hot dung, and about ten inches thick of mould. 

 Cover with hand-glasses, or garden-pots, or Jaoops 

 and mats, on nights, till Mid- June. On such a hole 

 of hot dung they may be sown in May, under a hand- 

 glass, and there remain to fruit. Pumpions will do 

 very well sometimes (in favourable seasons and situ- 

 ations) sown in May, on cold ground. The seed 

 should be covered near an inch, .and the plants kept 

 earthing up as they grow. When they have shot 

 five or six feet, peg down the runners a little way in 



