POTATOE. 91 



which answered well. It would be highly 

 profitable to allow the poor to plant baulks 

 and headlands in corn fields with potatoes. 



The greatest enemies to potatoes are the 

 rooks, who by an exquisite sense of smelling 

 find them out, and make great depreda- 

 tions. 



We conclude that all the varieties of the 

 potatoe which we now enjoy, have originated 

 from one kind, and that they have in a great 

 measure changed their nature by cultivation. 

 From the seed, there is a great chance of 

 procuring a new variety; but that produced 

 from the eyes of the root seldom changes 

 from the kind planted; yet it would appear 

 by Gerard's description, that he had a variety 

 of kinds from the original plant. 



Samuel Bate, Esq. informed the author of 

 this Work, that when he went with the first 

 settlers to Van Diemen's Land, he took with 

 him about half a bushel of potatoes for seed, 

 which were all of one kind ; but to his great 

 surprise, when they were all dug up, he had 

 five distinct varieties : viz. the White Cham- 

 pion, the Round Red, the Kidney, a small 

 round potatoe, and a variety commonly called 

 the Miller's Thumb. A sample of each of 

 these was afterwards sent into a warmer 



