364 Tj-ajisactioiis of the London Horticultural Societi/. 



which I have stated to have been produced here. I have received letters, 

 within a few months, from persons in different parts of the kingdom, informing 

 me that they have been unable to obtain by any moiie of culture above 250 

 or 300 bushels of potatoes from an acre of good and well-manured ground. 

 I have in answer desired to know the age of the varieties cultivated; but upon 

 that point I have uniformly found my correspondents totally uninformed ; 

 communicating to me, however, the important intelligence that the same 

 varieties bore more abundantly at a former period, and often that the quality 

 of the former produce was superior. When I first stated, in a former com- 

 munication, that I had obtained a produce equivalent to 670 bushels of 80 lb. 

 per acre, I found some difficulty in obtaining credit for the accuracy of my 

 statement, though I then felt perfectly confident that, by first obtaining varie- 

 ties better adapted to my purpose, I should be able to raise much heavier 

 crops ; and the following statement, in support of which I am prepared to 

 adduce the most unquestionable evidence, will prove that my confidence was 

 perfectly well founded. 



" I planted in my garden, in the last season, some tubers of a variety of po- 

 tato of ver}' early habits, but possessing more vigour of growth than is 

 usuallj' seen in such varieties. The soil in which they were planted was in 

 good condition, but not richer than the soils of gardens usually are, and the 

 manure which it had received consisting chiefly of decayed oak leaves, which 

 I prefer to other manures ; because it never communicates a strong taste, or 

 flavour, to any vegetable. No previous preparation was given to the soil ; and 

 the spot where the plantation was made was not fixed upon till the day of 

 planting; and no manure of any kind was then given. Owing to the variety 

 being of a very excitable habit, I planted the tubers at least 9 in. deep in the 

 soil ; and I subsequently raised the mould in ridges 3 in. high, to prevent the 

 young plants sustaining injury from frost ; but no subsequent moulding was 

 given. 1 anticipated from the previous produce of the variety, which I had 

 raised by cross breeding from two early varieties in 1830, a very extraordinary 

 crop ; and I therefore invited several gardeners and farmers to witness the 

 amount of it ; and I procured the attendance of the two most eminent agri- 

 culturists of the vicinity, who were tenants to other gentlemen. The external 

 rows (two deep), and the external plants at the ends of all the remaining 

 rows, were taken awa}', and the produce of the interior part of the planta- 

 tion was alone selected; and that was pronounced to be fully equivalent to 

 96-t bushels and 43 lb., or 34 tons, 8 cwt. 1071b. per statute acre. Still 

 larger crops may, I feel satisfied, be obtained ; and my oj)inion is, that more 

 than 1000 bushels of potatoes may, and will be, obtained from an acre of 

 ground. 



" An opinion is, I believe, generally prevalent, that varieties of potatoes, 

 6f very higli and luxuriant growth, are capable of affording per acre the greatest 

 weight of produce ; but this is certainly erroneous. Such will grow in 

 poorer soil, and, requiring wider intervals between the rows, are better 

 calculated for culture with the plough ; and therefore, perhaps, their produce 

 may be raised at as little, or less, cost per bushel; though that is, 1 think, 

 very questionable. Much time and much labour of the plant must be ex- 

 pended in raising the nutriment absorbed from the soil into the leaves upon 

 the top of a ver}- tall stem, and down again to the roots and tubers. 



" The potatoes, in the extraordinary crop of which 1 have above spoken, 

 were not washed, and, tiierefbre, a deduction must be made for a portion of 

 soil which adhered to them: but. that was small, owing to the dryness and 

 nature of the soil. Supposing a deduction of 164 bushels be made in the 

 above-mentioned account, and to afford potatoes sufficient to plant the acre 

 of ground again, 800 bushels would still remain; and these, if judiciously 

 given to proper animals, would certainly give 1200 lb. of animal food. For 

 this purpose early varieties of potatoes possess great advantages ; because all 

 our domesticated animals thrive most on potatoes after these have begun to 

 germinate : and if those of early, and, of course, of very excitable habits, be 



