No. 4. Improvement of Potatoes. — The Otter in India 



113 



" From this table it appears, as we siiould 

 have expected : — 



"That much less — one-third less — turnips 

 were eaten by the animal whicli was shel- 

 tered by the open shed, than by that which 

 was without shelter, while in live weight it 

 gained four pounds more. 



"That in the dark the quantity of turnips 

 eaten was one half less, and the increase 

 of weight a little greater still. But that 

 when confined in cribs — though the food 

 eaten miight be a little less — the increase in 

 weight was not so great. The animal, in 

 fact, was fretful and restless in confinement, 

 and whatever produces this effect upon an 

 animal, prevents or retards its fattening. 



"That the most profitable return of mut- 

 ton from the food consumed, is when the 

 animal is kept under shelter and in the 

 dark. 



" Such a mode of keeping animals how- 

 ever, must not be entered upon hastily, or 

 without due consideration. The habits of 

 the breed must be taken into account; the 

 effect of confinement upon their health must 

 be frequently attended to, and above all, the 

 ready admission of fresh air and a good ven- 

 tilation must not be forgotten. By a neglect 

 of the proper precautions, unfortunate re- 

 sults have frequently been obtained, and a 

 sound practice brought into disrepute." 



Improvement of the Quality of Potatoes. 



It is well known that in some soils, and 

 in most seasons, the produce of potatoes is 

 abundant, and their quality excellent; while 

 in others tlie quantity is not deficient, but 

 the quality is inferior ; and there are situa- 

 tions so unfavourable, that the crop is always 

 bad in every respect. Occasionally, indeed, 

 cold, wet seasons deteriorate this important 

 crop, even in the best soil, on whicii the 

 most skilful cultivation has been bestowed. 



Supposing, however, that all has been 

 done that could possibly be effected, in the 

 way of good cultivation, yet when the crop 

 is fit for taking up, its proper after-manage- 

 ment is a most important consideration. 



People think that if they guard their crop 

 from frost, they have done all that can be 

 needed : but this is a mistake of the worst 

 kind. By improper management atler taking 

 up, potatoes of the finest quality are easily 

 spoiled; and, on the contrary, by judicious 

 treatment, even such as are watery may be 

 much improved. 



It is of the first consequence that light, 

 as well as frost should be guarded against, 

 for light renders the tubers unwholesome. 



The stems, and in fact all the parts of the 

 potatoe plant above ground, are more or less 



poisonous. Tubers are occasionally formed 

 along the stem, but they are, as we all know, 

 green and bad. This is entirely owing to 

 their exposure to light. 



Having pointed out one of the sources of 

 deterioration, it may be as well to name a 

 means of improvement. Always dry the 

 tubers before cooking them. If a potatoe is 

 weighed when fresli taken up, then laid in 

 a dry, warm place for some time, and again 

 weighed, it will be found to have become 

 lighter, in consequence of the evaporation 

 of a portion of its water ; and it will then in 

 cooking be more mealy. In Ireland, with 

 this in view, potatoes, when watery, are 

 often taken out of the caves and kept in a 

 dry -place for a few weeks, and a great im- 

 provement is the consequence. The Frencli 

 are aware of this fact. A writer in the 

 Revue Horticole, says — "In unfavourable 

 seasons potatoes are often found to be wa- 

 tery and without flavour, although cooked 

 with the greatest care. In this case, the 

 mode of effecting an amelioration is easy: it 

 consists in placing them near a stove or oven 

 for about a week previously to their being 

 used. At the end of that tmie they will be 

 found mealy and of good flavour." — London 

 Gardeners' Chronicle. 



The Otter in India. 



We passed, to my surprise, a row of no 

 less than nine or ten large and very beauti- 

 ful Otters, tethered with straw collars and 

 long strings to bamboo stakes on the bank. 

 Some were swimming about to the full ex- 

 tent of their strings, or lying half in and 

 half out of the water ; others were rolling 

 themselves in the sun on the sand banks, 

 uttering a shrill, whistling noise, as if in 

 play. I was told that most of the fishermen in 

 this neighbourhood kept one or more of these 

 animals, who were almost as tame as dogs, 

 and of great use in fishing, sometimes driv- 

 ing the shoals into the nets, sometimes bring- 

 ing out the larger fish with their teeth. I 

 was much pleased and interested in the 

 sight. It has always been a fancy of mine, 

 that the poor creatures whom we waste and 

 persecute to death, for no cause but the gra- 

 tification of our cruelty, might, by reason- 

 able treatment, be made sources of abundant 

 amusement and advantage to us. The sim- 

 ple Hindoo shows here a better taste and 

 judgment, than half the Otter-hunting and 

 badger-baiting gentry of England. 



Bishop Heber. 



Take an Agricultural paper, and some 

 good family paper, and pay for them in ad- 

 vance. 



