PREFACE. 



THE introduction of better varieties of potatoes, the 

 adoption of more economical methods of dealing with 

 the crop, the discovery of means for keeping in check 

 diseases of the plants, have made potato growing an 

 art which can only be successfully carried out where 

 the farmer or gardener is abreast of the times with 

 regard to information on all these points, as home and 

 foreign competition are very strong. The want ot 

 more perfect knowledge in individual cases causes a 

 very large portion of the crop to be grown unprofitably. 

 Those who thoroughly understand the subject, and 

 cater for the best markets, find it a profitable business, 

 although they may not be otherwise better situated 

 than their less successful neighbours. 



The endeavour in this book has been to present to 

 readers the experience I have gained in living the 

 greater part of my life in a district which has long 

 been celebrated for potato culture, and more particu- 

 larly to explain the methods of cultivation and general 

 treatment of the crop we have found most profitable in 

 growing nearly 200 acres yearly. As I have been 

 associated with potato growing in several other 

 districts in England, as well as in Ireland, I have had 

 an opportunity of seeing what is best suited to all 

 classes of soils and climates, and, therefore, am able to 



