78 AGRICULTURE. 



ges, clover, and chicory : but we shall take them in 

 the order in which they stand in the proposed rota- 

 tion of crops ; and, 



I. Of the potato. 



This plant is a native of America, and, like other 

 valuable things, has had violent enemies and zealous 

 friends. When first introduced into France, it was 

 subjected to the imperfect methods of analysis of 

 that day, and, being supposed to yield some delete- 

 rious matter, was even proscribed by the govern- 

 ment. But time, which rarely fails to do justice to 

 the injured, has re-established the character of the 

 potato there ; and with the increased reputation 

 of being the " manna of the poor"* of standing as an 

 article of food next to bread ,f and far before cab- 

 bages, carrots, or turnips ;J and yielding, by the 

 acre, a crop of greater profit and more nutritive 

 matter than either wheat or barley. Nor is this 

 its whole praise ; for, besides its value as food, it is 

 of all vegetables that which, from the number, 

 shape, and size of its roots, forms the best prepara- 

 tion for subsequent crops. || Of this valuable plant 

 botanists count more than sixty varieties and twelve 

 species, which, for agricultural purposes, may, how- 

 ever, be reduced to three; the red, the white, and 

 that called by the French the quarantaine, or forty 

 days' potato. The last is the least prolific; but 



* Dictionnaire de 1'Industrie, art. Pomme de terre. 



f By the experiments of Vaugelin and Percy, 80 parts out of 

 100 of bread are nutritive ; of the potato, 25, or nearly one 

 fourth. 



| " Six chilogrammes de pommes de terre equivaloient 50 

 chilogrammes de navet." Vvart. Six kilograms [the kilo- 

 gram is 2 Ibs. 3 oz. 5 dr. avoird.] of potatoes are equal to 50 kil- 

 ogram* of carrots. 



200 bushels, a medium crop per acre of potatoes, are, at 3*. 

 per bushel, equal to seventy five dollars ; and a medium crop 

 of wheat, 15 bushels per acre, at even 16s. per bushel, is but 

 30 dollars ; difference per acre, $35. 



il Parmentier of the French Institute. 



