322 ON THE POTATOE. 



by the creation and selection of proper varieties, as abundant a produce 

 might not be obtained within the limits bf the frigid zone as in the torrid 

 zone, of which the potatoe is a native. The weather in some parts of 

 the coast of Norway, within the limits of the frigid zone, is very warm 

 and bright during a period, which I believe to be quite long enough to 

 ripen any early variety of the potatoe perfectly. 



It is my wish to send in the spring one or two potatoes of each of the 

 varieties which I think likely to prove valuable ; and I shall be happy 

 subsequently to send a quantity of any which may be approved. 



In raising varieties of the potatoe from seeds it is always expedient to 

 use artificial heat. I have trained up a young seedling plant in a some- 

 what shaded situation in the stove till it has been between four and five 

 feet high, and then removed it to the open ground in the beginning of 

 May, covering its stem during almost its whole length lightly with mould, 

 and by such means I have obtained within the first year nearly a peck of 

 potatoes from a single plant. But I usually sow the seeds in a hotbed 

 early in March, and, after having given them one transplantation in the 

 hotbed, I have gradually exposed them to the open air, and planted them 

 out in the middle of May : and, by immersing their stems rather deeply 

 into the ground, I have within the same season usually seen each variety 

 in such a state of maturity as has enabled me to judge, with a good deal 

 of accuracy, respecting its future merits. 



I stated, in a former communication two years ago, that I had obtained 

 from a small plantation of the early ash-leaved kidney potatoe a produce 

 equivalent to that of 665 bushels, of 80 pounds each, per acre ; and my 

 crop of that variety in the present year was to a small extent greater. 

 By a mistake of my workmen I was prevented ascertaining with 

 accuracy the produce per acre of a plantation of Lankman's potatoe ; 

 but one of my friends having made a plantation of that variety precisely 

 in conformity with the instructions given in my former communication 

 to this society, I requested that he would send me an accurate account 

 of the produce ; which I have reason to believe he did, for its amount 

 very nearly agreed with my calculation upon viewing the growing crop 

 about six weeks before it was collected. The situation in which this crop 

 grew was high and cold, and the ground was not rich, but the part where 

 the potatoes to be weighed were selected was perfectly dry, and afforded 

 a much better crop than the remainder of the field ; which was planted 

 with several different varieties. I calculated the produce of the selected 

 part to be 600 bushels per acre, and the report I received, and which I 

 believe to have been perfectly accurate, stated it to be 628. If this 



