POTATO-PLANTING. 57 



of the latter serving for a support to the former crop. 

 According as they are late or early sorts, pease are sown 

 from February to May, the later varieties being sown in 

 the earlier month. 



The potato crop is the last to which we shall allude 

 in this little notice of the sowing season. This 

 crop follows grain : the stubble lands, if heavy, are 

 ploughed up for it in the autumn, that the land may be 

 in good condition for the crop. About a mouth is 

 occupied with the prepai'ation of the ground in spring, 

 from the middle of March to the middle of April. The 

 potatoes being removed from the pit, and prepared in 

 the barn, are planted either whole, or cut into parts 

 called sets. A middle-sized potato may be cut into two 

 or three sets, according to the number of eyes it may 

 contain : there ought to be more than one eye in each 

 set, lest that one should fail. As the sets are cut they 

 should be dusted with slaked lime : the juice is thus 

 absorbed, and a paste formed over the sets. Some per- 

 sons encourage the potatoes to sprout before setting 

 them, by covering them with a thin coating of earth, 

 and watering them. Those which have the healthiest 

 sprouts are then planted, and are said to be at least a 

 fortnight forwarder in their growth than the ordinary 

 crop. 



The land being drilled so as to allow the planting to 

 go on without interruption, the sets are placed at 

 convenient distances in the field in sacks, each planter 

 being provided with a basket, into which he puts a 

 portion of the sets as he wants them. Manure is at the 

 same time spread equally in the drills by women, while 

 the planters follow, and put in the sets by dibble.* 

 The operation is finished by the plough, which covers 

 in the manure and the sets as fast as the planting is 

 finished. Thus this important crop, formerly so regular 

 in its returns, but now so difficult and disappointing to 

 the farmer, is consigned to the earth. 

 * Sea Vignette, p. 31.' 



