POTATOE. 95 



The lower classes of Irish subsist almost 

 entirely on this nutritious root, and I do not 

 know a stronger or more healthy people in 

 the world. Dean Swift says, " The families 

 of farmers in Ireland live in filth and nasti- 

 ness, upon buttermilk and potatoes." 



Gay notices their attachment to this vege- 

 table, a century back : 



" Leek to the Welsh, to Dutchmen butter 's dear, 

 Of Irish swains potatoe is the cheer." 



The cultivation of this root is now become 

 almost of equal importance to that of corn ; 

 and we have not only potatoe shops, but 

 potatoe merchants, who trade to a great ex- 

 tent in the metropolis. Arthur Young ob- 

 serves, in his account of Essex, so far back 

 as 1807, that Mr. Pittman, of Barking in that 

 county, was one of the greatest growers of 

 potatoes in this kingdom, having in general 

 three hundred acres annually planted with 

 this useful root, and sending to market three 

 thousand tons of potatoes, all washed ready 

 for sale ! 



An extraordinary instance of the produce 

 of a potatoe is mentioned by Doctor Roul- 

 ston, of Raphoe in Ireland, who lately dug 

 in his garden a single potatoe-top, which 

 produced 568 evenly sized potatoes. 



