new Kinds of Potatoes. 441 



established themselves, remove the pots, and earth up occa- 

 sionally, as long as the space between them will admit of it. 

 The produce of new kinds of potatoes raised in this manner 

 is generally prodigious for twelve years afterwards; The 

 best manure is yellow moss and rotten horse-dung." 



Now, Sir, I beg to observe, that I have tried the above 

 method of raising new kinds of potatoes, and found it to 

 answer my most sanguine expectations. In the year 1807, I 

 selected a seed-ball of an early variety, which I obtained from 

 the late Mr. James Dickson of Covent Garden, well known 

 to the botanical world, and, after washing the seed clean from 

 the pulpy matter which surrounded it, I kept it in a dry place 

 till the time directed for sowing. I planted seventeen plants, 

 and threw away the remainder : each plant produced a distinct 

 variety, of as various quality. There were amongst them 

 round, oblong, and kidneys ; good, bad, and indifferent ; 

 black, white, and red ; all full grown the first season, and of 

 ample produce : some were as early as the parent plant ; 

 while others, again, were very late. We have, it is true, a 

 great variety of capital kinds of this useful vegetable ; but if 

 gentlemen's gardeners, who have it in their power more than 

 any other class of men in the kingdom, were to set about 

 earnestly raising new kinds, it is very probable that far supe- 

 rior kinds to any of those now in use might be obtained at 

 a trifling expense, as a single-light box, with a few linings* 

 would answer the purpose, after it had performed its office of 

 raising cucumber plants for the larger frames : and such a 

 course of experiments by different individuals, if successful, 

 would not only tend to benefit the country at large, but it 

 would also afford a solid satisfaction to the minds of those 

 who would give themselves such a trifling degree of trouble, 

 if they were successful in obtaining a distinct variety, that 

 would, from its valuable properties, obtain celebrity. 



Should you deem the above account worthy of the notice 

 of your readers, I may perhaps, at a future time, when leisure 

 permits, send you one or two more recipes that might be of 

 service not only to young but to old gardeners. 



I began to fear we had lost the effusions of our amusing 

 old friend Agronome, but I am glad to see he has made his 

 appearance again. Many hearty laughs have we had at his 

 gibes, and long may he continue to furnish them for the amuse- 

 ment of your readers, together with his pithy useful inform- 

 ation : but I must conclude, or, as our worthy friend observes, 

 I shall become tiresome. I am, Sir, &c. 



SOLA^NUM" TUBEROSUM. 



Neath, Glamorganshire, Dec. 5. 1829. 



