CH 4] THE KITCHEN GARDENER. 383 



difeafed feed, fhoots or fpawn, need we 

 ever exped to raife plants as healthy, or 

 that lhall ever become fo, as from clean, 

 frefh, and well-matured feed, &c. 



In refped of the fecond and third opi- 

 nions, as in fad: they embrace the fame 

 thing, fince they imply, that neither of the 

 fituations are congenial to the nature and 

 inclination of the plant in queftion, I have 

 juft to fay, that if a plant mall be ftinted 

 in growth, from any caufe whatever, dif- 

 eafe will inevitably follow. On annuals of a 

 quick growth, fuch as the plant in queftion, 

 this is fooner perceptible than on others. 



In refped of the fourth opinion, which 

 certainly carries with it a ftrong prefump- 

 tion of the cafe, if we admit there is pro- 

 priety in changing crops, and that all cu- 

 linary plants, \vhich are not natives, dege- 

 nerate lefs or more, if confirmed in the 

 fame foil fucceffively, we may reafonably 

 fuppofe it probably proceeds hence. And yet 

 it hath been proved, in fome inftances, that 

 this is not the cafe, by potatoes being conti- 

 nued for many fucceffive feafons on the fame 

 Ipot, without any appearance of the curl, 



iipugh they degenerate in fize and fhape. 



In 



