Transactions of the Horticultural Society. 295 



centre and highest part of each ridge : manure was intro- 

 duced over the potatoes, and mould was added so as to cover 

 rather deeply. As usual with Mr. Knight's experiments, at 

 least as related in these Transactions^ something occurred 

 to render the result less complete than it otherwise would 

 have been. " A colony of rabbits " did a good deal of 

 damage, and " pheasants" had eaten many of the tubers 

 which the rabbits had exposed to view; but the remaining 

 produce per acre exceeded 539 bushels of 82 lb. each, 

 2 lb. being allowed in every bushel on account of a very 

 small quantity of earth which adhered to them. 



The mode of culture is nearly that which is practised on a 

 large scale by the farmers in Scotland, only they do not 

 generally require to raise the soil on account of its poverty or 

 shallowness, but sometimes they do, on account of a wet 

 bottom. When sets are put in every third furrow, the dung 

 is frequently put over them ; when in the furrows of ridgelets, 

 most frequently under them, but sometimes also over them. 

 Mi'. Knight's experiment, therefore, has no claim to novelty; 

 the produce, however, certainly appears extraordinary, but 

 to us, at least, not so, when we remark the way in which it 

 was ascertained. It does not appear that an acre of ground 

 was planted, and the produce measured, but " having found 

 my crops of potatoes to be in the last three years, during 

 which I alone have accurately adopted the mode of culture 

 above described, much greater than they had ever previously 

 been, as well as of excellent quality, / ^was led to ascertain the 

 amount in weight which an acre oj" ground, such as I have de- 

 scribed, the soil qf which was naturally poor and shallow, would 

 produced 



Every farmer knows that nothing can be more fallacious 

 than to draw conclusions, with reference to acres, from results 

 that have taken place on, perhaps, a few square yards. A 

 good crop of the yam in East Lothian seldom exceeds 400 

 bushels per English acre. Mr. Knight is " much inclined to 

 think that he has raised, and shall raise in the present year, 

 1828, nearly as large a produce per acre of the small, early, 

 ash-leaved kidney," In a postscript, dated March, 1829, he 

 states " somewhat contrary to my expectations, the produce 

 of the small early potato exceeded very considerably that of 

 the large one above mentioned ; being per acre QQS bushels 

 of 82 pounds." (See Gard. Mag., vol. iv. p. l^?.) 



We shall be particularly obliged to Mr. Knight, if he will 

 state, not merely the contents of the surface, but the length 

 and breadth from which the above calculation, and that 

 relating to the crop of 539 bushels, were made; also, to a cer- 



u 4 , 



