440 Method of obtaining 



remove these beds, and shall continue to do so yearly, till our 

 young beds, which have been lately planted, come into bear- 

 ing ; as we purpose to devote that piece of ground entirely to 

 the nourishment of the vine. 



With the permission of Mr. Forbes, I have sent you a small 

 sample of grapes, and I can assure you that the bunches were 

 not picked, but cut from one part of the vine and not 2 ft. 

 from each other. I remain, Sir, &c. 



H. Cummings. 

 Sellwood Park, October 21. 1829. 



The berries were large, dark, of excellent flavour, and the 

 bunches weighing from half a pound to a pound and a half. — 

 Cond. 



Art. XXIII. On a Method of obtaining new Kinds of Potatoes. 

 By aSola'num tuberosum. 



Sir, 



Having noticed in your useful publication several commu- 

 nications relative to that useful and now almost indispensable 

 vegetable, the potato, I beg to offer a method of obtaining 

 new kinds, which is as follows, viz. : — 



Macartney s Method of obtaining new Kinds of Potatoes 

 from Seed. — " Sow the. seed in a hot-bed, about the middle 

 of February, in lines 6 in. apart, a quarter of an inch deep* 

 and very thin. When water is necessary, sprinkle it between 

 the lines, but avoid wetting the plants, as that would injure 

 them. A little air must be given before they are watered. 



" As the plants rise, rich earth, carefully put between the 

 lines, will add fresh vigour to them ; but the tops of the 

 plants must not be covered by these mouldings, which should 

 be occasionally repeated until they are fit for transplanting. 

 To prepare them for this, about the end of April they must 

 be plentifully refreshed with air ; and, two hours before re- 

 moving them, they must be plentifully watered all over, and 

 the glasses covered with bass mats, to prevent the sun, if 

 shining at the time, from scorching the plants. Take each 

 plant up carefully, with a ball of earth attached to it, and 

 plant them in trenches, as you would celery, only with this 

 difference, the distance from plant to plant in the lines must 

 be 1 8 in, ; and if the sun should be shining out strong at the 

 time of planting, a flower-pot should be placed over each, to 

 prevent flagging ; for, with all your care in taking up, a good 

 many of the fibres will be broken. After the plants have ; 



