POTATO. 



mould-board, is introduced to apply 

 fresh earth to the stems. 



" Such is the method of earthing 

 universally pursued t)y the farmer in 

 Ireland afid Scotland, but in England 

 the hand hoe is principally used for 

 destroying weeds, loosening the earth, 

 and moulding the plants ; for the first 



erage depth, unless there be a very 

 wide interval between the drills, and 

 it is certain that much earthing in 

 dry and shallow soil is injurious ; for 

 by withdrawing the earth from con- 

 tiguity to the fibres which ramify and 

 penetrate far in loose soil, and laying 

 it on the head of the drill, and in the 



two of these operations the bean hoe j high ridgclet form, it is applied where 

 (which cuts about six inches deep) is [ it is useless for the nourishment of 

 used, and the turnip hoe for drawing the tubers, and in a position that fa- 

 the earth to the stems. One man ' vours the rapid escape of moisture, 

 will hoe out the weeds and loosen which, in such soil, it ought to be an 

 the soil of half an acre per day, and object to retain. In deep land, more 

 the subsequent earthing of the same particularly if it be of tenacious qual- 

 quantity is also executed by one i ity, the furrows at each side of the 



man. This is far cheaper than horse 

 work, and it does no injury to any 

 of the stems, and makes no waste 

 land at the head-riggs ; and where 

 the earth has been perfectly well pre- 

 pared at the commencement, this 

 manual husbandry is the best. 



" As to the distance between the 

 drills, due regard must be had to the 



drill will be, in general seasons, most 

 serviceable as drains, as well as for 

 furnishing earth to support the stems, 

 while the moisture will be sufficiently 

 retained for the roots. 



" Experiments have led to the in- 

 ference that, in soil of a loose, porous 

 quality, there is probably a greater 

 produce by not affording any (or a 



natural quality of the soil, and the j very slight) moulding, but by digging, 

 quantity and description of manure j instead, between the rows ; for deep 



available, or, in other words, to the 

 probable luxuriance of foliage. Mr. 

 Knight, aware of the necessity of al- 

 lowing room in proportion to the vig- 

 our and height of the plants, has laid 

 down an exact rule, thus: 'The 

 height of the stems being three feet, 

 the rows ought to be four feet apart ;' 

 but for a general average thirty 

 inches is the best distance. As to 

 excess of foliage, we are certain that 

 it is not desirable, for the produce 

 of tubers is not always in propor- 



and perfect pulverization, next to an 

 adequate allowance of rich manure, 

 is the main cause of a large produce. 

 In proportion to the deficiency of 

 manure will be the necessity for open- 

 ing the soil beneath, to allow the 

 fibres, which may be distinctly traced 

 to a depth incredible to those who 

 have not followed their ramifications, 

 to extract all the nourishment which 

 the subsoil may afford. If there be 

 an abundance of nutriment above, 

 neither the necessity nor, perhaps. 



tion to the degree of foliage ; under \ the inclination for penetrating deeply 

 high and rank stems there is often a ; can exist, and in such cases the op- 

 vel-y scanty crop, and Mr. Knight is ; eration of earthing by the plough, as 

 justified by experience in his obser- j long as it can be introduced without 

 vation that ' the largest produce will \ injury to the stems, may be useful in 

 be obtained from varieties of rather I many ways, but unquestionably by 

 early habits and rather low stature, ! guarding them from the effects of 

 there being in very tall plants much j storm in exposed, and from excessive 

 time lost in conveving the nutriment ' wetness in low situations ; besides, 



from the soil to the leaves,' and con 

 sequently strong and upright stems, 

 which do not fall down and shade the 

 others, are those which are desirable. 

 " Two more earthings are usually 



in regulating this point, regard should 

 always be had to the quality of the 

 potato, for the tubers of some varie- 

 ties have a tendency to push to the 

 surface, while others tend into the 



given, but it is questionable whether earth, and therefore require a differ- 

 even one be necessary in soil of av- 1 enl treatment. 



615 



