29* OF CROPS USUALLY CULTIVATED. 



the farmer puts on his turnip field, as the people consider 

 the potatoes of a better quality, when raised without dung. 

 Mr Stewart of Hillside, by letting an acre for potatoes, 

 gets one day's labour of 120 reapers.* They give the seed 

 only, and take up the crop. The land is let to labourers 

 and tradesmen in a neighbouring village. The value of 

 the potatoes is above the ordinary wages, and the reapers 

 besides receive maintenance when they are employed ; but 

 it is a great advantage to have a number of labourers at 

 command, more especially during a critical harvest. 



The culture of potatoes, is likely to be materially increa- 

 sed by the following circumstance. Mr Spears of Dysart 

 informs me, that within these three or four years past, the 

 farmers occupying a dry loamy soil, in place of raising only 

 turnips for feeding, now raise nearly half potatoes,! and 

 half turnips. In this way they find, that by giving their 

 cattle as many potatoes as they can eat, the one half of the 

 day, and turnips the other half, they become fat, in little 

 more than half the time requisite to feed them with turnips 

 alone. They likewise find, that an acre of potatoes, will go 

 farther in feeding than an acre of turnips, with this great 

 additional advantage, that no weather can affect the feed- 

 ing of the cattle, when they have potatoes always at com- 



An acre of potatoes gives 120 days reaping, (shcaring) y at 55 yards 

 for each day, the drill being 34 inches wide. The acre thus pays L. 9, 

 the reaper furnishing seed; the wages, reckoued at Is. 6d. besides victu- 

 als, which together make 2 s. 2 d. per day. The reaper (shearer} has his 

 potatoes at nearly 20 s. per ton, often much less : the advantage of the 

 farmer is, having these reapers at his call, and only on the days when 

 required. 



i It is a pity, that these farmers do not get the Patagonian, or bullock' 

 potatoe, from Mr Church of Hitchill, in Dumfries-shire. 



