358 BOOT CHOPS. 



Louisiana, probably from the greater facility of raising the sweet 

 potato, its more tropical rival. Its perfection, however, depends 

 as much upon the soil as on the climate in which it grows ; 

 for in the red loam, on the banks of Bayou Bo3uf, in Louisiana, 

 where the land is new, it is said that tubers are produced as large, 

 savory, and as free from water as any raised in other parts of the 

 world. The same may be said of those grown at Bermuda, Ma- 

 deira, the Canaries, and numerous other ocean isles. 



The chief varieties cultivated in the Northern States of America 

 are the carter, the kidneys, the pink-eyes, the mercer, the orange, 

 the Sault Ste. Marie, the merino, and "Western red ; in the Middle 

 and Western States, the mercer, the long red, or merino, the 

 orange, and the Western red. The yield varies from 50 to 400 

 bushels and upwards per acre, but generally it is below 200 

 bushels. 



Within the last ten years an alarming disease, or "rot," has 

 attacked the tubers of this plant, about the time they are 

 fully grown. It has not only appeared in nearly every part of 

 America, but has spread dismay, at times, throughout Great 

 Britain and Ireland, and has been felt more or less seriously in 

 every quarter of the globe. 



To the greater uncertainty attending its cultivation of late 

 years, must be attributed the deficiency of the United States crop 

 of 1849, as compared with that of 1839. This is one of the four 

 agricultural products which, by the last census, appears smaller 

 than ten years since. (" American Census Keports for 1850.") 



The crops in Ireland, where the potato is the principal object of 

 culture, vary from 1^ to 10| tons per acre, according to the season ; 

 but in the average of three years ending 1849, the annual growth of 

 Great Britain and Ireland amounted to nine million tons, which, 

 at 3 per ton, exhibits the value at 27,000,000 sterling. Ireland 

 produced in 1847 a little over two million tons, the yield being 7 

 tons per acre. In 1848 the produce was 2,880,814 tons, averaging 

 only four tons to the acre. In 1849, 4,014,122 tons, averaging 

 5i tons to the acre. In 1850, 3,954,990 tons; and in 1851, 

 4,441,022 tons ; the average yield per acre not stated. In many 

 parts of Scotland 24 tons to the acre are raised. The sales of po- 

 tatoes in the principal metropolitan markets exceed 140,000 tons 

 a year, which are irrespective of the sales which take place at 

 railway stations, wharfs, shops, &c. The imports into the United 

 Kingdom average about 70,000 tons annually. Potatoes are ex- 

 ported to the West Indies, Mediterranean, and other quarters. 

 For emigrant ships, preserved or dried potato flour is now much 

 used. 



The following quantities of potato flour were imported from 

 Prance in the last few years : 



Cwts. 



1848 17,222 



1849 3,858 



1850 12,591 



1851 2,631 



