40 New Mode of cultivating Potatoes. 



Art. XII. A new Mode of cultivating Potatoes. By A Glou- 

 cestershire Horticulturist. 



Sir, 



I HAVE cultivated potatoes, for three years past, in a novel 

 and successful method. 



The soil is a light sandy loam, from 1 8 in. to 2 ft. deep, 

 with a dry bottom. If well manured, and the potatoes planted 

 in the usual method, the tops generally run up long and weak, 

 fall early, and the crop is injured. If the land is in indifferent 

 condition, the soil being rather weak, the crops are small. 



The ground is set out in rows of 2 ft. in width. The first 

 2 ft. are dug a full spade deep, and as much soil wheeled out 

 to the other side of the piece as will allow the potatoes to be 

 set 4 in. or 5 in. deep. These two rows of potato sets are 

 planted at a foot's distance from each other, in the middle of 

 the trench, and 1 in. or 1 2 in. in the rows, and covered with 

 fresh dung. The next 2 ft. are not stirred, but the third 2 ft. 

 are dug as the first, and as much soil thrown on to the first row 

 as brings the ground to tlie level. I proceed thus, and plant 

 only every alternate 2 ft., until the whole breadth is planted. 

 Only one half of the land is planted, the other half remaining 

 unstirred and lying at rest. I have planted in this manner 

 just one chain of land ; and the same land, in the year 1827, 

 with beans; and in the year 1828 with potatoes, some the 

 large white kidney, and some the blue moels. In the year 

 1828 I took up 10 sacks, which quantity was the average crop 

 of the season. Mine were larger and a better sample than 

 those of my neighbours. 



Last year (1829) the same chain of ground produced 

 11^ sacks. The season being wet, the tops run up, and soon 

 fell ; but, as they lay on the unstirred ground, the crop was 

 not injui'ed. 



Having taken a crop of beans and two crops of potatoes 

 successively, I shall now change the ground and take the 

 other half, which has rested and been unstirred for the last 

 three years. 



Thus less labour, less manure, with only one half of the 

 land cropped, has produced full as large a crop of potatoes as 

 the ordinary methods. 



As I set the potatoes deeper in the soil than usual, I find 

 but little earthing up is required. 



I am. Sir, yours, &c. 

 A Gloucestershire Horticulturist. 

 March 31. 1830. 



