54 



and a half in length. Seaweed is put on the land in 

 autumn, where available. From 15 to 25 tons of farm- 

 yard manure and from 8 to 12 cwt. of artificial 

 manure go to make an ordinary dressing, though more 

 is given in some instances. Nitrate of soda, sul- 

 phate of ammonia, superphosphate, and kainit are 

 used. Mr. Le Bas uses dissolved Peruvian guano 

 with an analysis of 8 per cent, of ammonia, 20 to 22 

 soluble phosphates, and 1 to H potash. 



When the crop is up it is kept clean by hoeing, and 

 by the time the plants are four or five inches high 

 they are moulded up lightly. The digging commences 

 in some parts of the island early in May, and in the 

 open districts a week or fortnight later. Those grown 

 under glass are placed on the market in April and 

 fetch 6d. per lb., while those dug earliest in May fetch 

 3d. per lb. or 25s. per cwt. The prices fall rapidly 

 when the digging becomes general, but throughout 

 May the price generally runs as high as .9. From this 

 onward the price gradually falls, until in the middle of 

 July, when they have to compete with English grown 

 potatoes, they realise only 70s. to 80s. per ton. The yield 

 varies from 3J to 5 tons, in the case of those dug early, 

 to 11 to 18 tons for the main crop allowed to grow 

 out, The earliest are grown on sandy soils. Good 

 rich loam produces the heavier crop. Heavy soil is 

 latest and most liable to disease. A change of seed 

 is generally obtained in the case of Myatt's Ashleaf 

 and the Snowdrop, this being obtained from England. 



The Jersey method of early raising has been adopted 



