the Cultivation of Potatoes. 225 



when they arc approaching to maturity, as no crop is more frequently injured by 

 these voracious plunderers. 



VI, On the Advantage of transplanting Potatoes. 



Potatoes have a great advantage over most other crops in the latitude they admit 

 of in the article of planting them. From the middle of February till the beginning 

 of June, a period of nearly four months, the farmer may chuse the time most 

 suited to his convenience for putting them into the ground. But this is not all ; 

 there is no plant which admits of being transplanted with greater success. 



On May 11th, 1804, ^ planted six rows of the American hundred-eyes. On 

 the 7th of June three of the rows were taken up and transplanted. The trans- 

 planted rows produced 375 lbs. after the rate of 1 lb. 9 oz. from each root. Those 

 which were not removed produced 360 lbs. after the rate of 1 lb. 8 oz. from each 

 root. The soil in each instance was the same. That part where the potatoes were 

 originally planted was manured at the time of planting ; where they were trans- 

 planted, a top dressing only was given. 



On the 4th of June, I planted three rows of a smallish round white potatoe, and 

 at the same time some of the same kind were planted in a nursery bed. The latter 

 •were transplanted the 1st day of July. The produce not inferior to those which 

 had never been removed. 



On the 8th of June I planted three rows of the early Scotch kidney (a very 

 good sort, which Sir John Sinclair procured out of Scotland for the Board of 

 Agriculture, at the time he was President), and on the same day some of the same 

 kind were planted in a nursery bed. Those in the nursery bed were transplanted 

 on the 1 ith of July. The potatoes, which were not removed, produced a fair 

 crop J the transplanted ones were very small. They ripened, however, at the same 

 time when the others did. I attribute their failure not so much to their having 

 been transplanted at a late season, as I do to the operation having taken place in 

 uncommonly dry weather. And yet, though they were transplanted under every 

 disadvantage, in a hot dry sand, and at a dme that was both preceded and followed 

 by great drought, not two plants out of the whole number died. The putatoc, in- 

 deed, is a plant more tenacious of life, if possible, than couch-grass. I have no 

 doubt, had the season been favourable, the crop would have equalled that which 

 had not been transplanted. 



VOL. V. G g 



