THE MANSE GARDEN. 179 



named, as they have little profusion of leaves, may 

 be planted before a south wall, without injury to the 

 trees, and will thus come very early to maturity. 

 An ingenious friend has assured me, on his own ex- 

 periment, that if early potatoes, designed for seed, 

 be taken up not sufficiently ripened, and left exposed 

 on the surface for some weeks, bleaching in the wea- 

 ther, (to use an Irishism) till they become green, will 

 produce a much earlier crop next year. The middle 

 of March, at a medium elevation, is soon enough for 

 planting, when the safe conduct of the crop is to be 

 entrusted to the elements ; and even then it is better 

 to put the dung above the sets ; for so placed, as it 

 excludes the frost, it admits of a shallower covering 

 of earth, and thus favours the fruitfulness of the 

 potato. The drills may be two feet separate for the 

 ash-leaved, and a little more for those sorts which 

 grow more luxuriant. 



Of late potatoes, one of the best varieties now in 

 use is that called the don; it is dark, with white 

 spots, high flavoured, solid, nutritious, and keeps 

 long. Though not so numerous at the stalk, it yields 

 as much weight per acre, as any other sort as it 

 produces very few that are not full sized. It is con- 

 venient however to plant some of the white varieties, 

 which are better for eating in the early part of the 

 season. The drills for late crops should be thirty 

 inches asunder and the sets nine or ten. In the 

 garden, the most careful gathering is important on 

 account of the succeeding crop. See Jerusalem 

 Artichoke. 



The worst evil (at least till of late years) incident 

 to the cultivation of potatoes has been curled leaf. 

 The nature of the disease is not well known ; but it is 



