V. POTATOE. 



the potatoes were as sound and as fresh as ever. We 

 did not perceive one single rotten potatoe in the whole 

 piece. There was a great quantity, and the men who 

 dug the ground, took them home to eat. But, if above 

 ground, your care must be great, especially if the heap 

 be considerable. There must be no rotten ones, and no cut 

 or broken ones. The heap may ferment, and then rotten- 

 ness will come : you must therefore be careful to turn it 

 over frequently and pick out every thing approaching to- 

 wards rottenness. Potatoes are frequently kept in heaps 

 formed in a conical shape on the ground, and covered over 

 with straw and earth j but this is a thing that cannot be re- 

 quired in a case like that which I have in view. The 

 ladies'-fingers, which are certainly more delicate in taste 

 than the kidney-potatoes, may be planted at the same 

 time, and treated in the same manner 5 and they will be 

 better than the larger potatoes all through the winter, 

 though the crop will not be so large. Some of these, 

 however, if planted early in March, will be very good for 

 use from the end of June to the latter end of the summer. 

 As to the first sort, the little round white early potatoes', 

 they may be raised so as to be fit to eat in June, and 

 even earlier. This sort of potatoe has no blossom. 

 It is a small round white potatoe, the leaf of which is 

 of a pale green, very thin, very smooth, and nearly of 

 the shape and size of the inside of a middle-sized lemon 

 cut asunder longways. This potatoe, if planted with 

 other sorts in March or April, will be ripe six weeks 

 sooner than any other sort. The ladies' fingers come 

 much quicker than .the kidneys -, but, the early 

 potatoe comes much quicker still. If you once get 

 this sort, and wish to keep it true, you must take 



