180 KITCHEN GARDEN. 
marked, that if the tubers of any good late variety, such aa 
the Edinburgh Don or the Stalfold Hall, be buried in the 
carth so deep as to prevent vegetation, and kept there till 
the beginning of autumn,’or if their growth be in any way 
retarded, and if they be planted at that season of the year, 
young potatoes may thus be procured, during the winter 
season, by merely preventing the access of frost with a 
covering of litter. 
Potatoes are commonly propagated by dividing the tubers, 
leaving to each cut, one or two eyes or buds. The sets are 
then planted by the aid of the dibble or spade, in rows ata 
distance varying from fifteen inches to two feet. It was 
suggested by the late Mr. Knight, and his views have been 
amply confirmed by experiment, that by planting whole 
tubers, and at great distances, a larger produce might be 
obtained. Mr. Knight proposed to leave four feet between 
the rows, a distance which, except with the larger varieties, 
was found to be unnecessarily great. An experienced hor- 
ticulturist in Scotland states, that by planting whole tubers, 
and by leaving in the case of dwarfs two feet, and in the 
tall varieties two feet and a half, between the rows, a return 
from one-third to one-half more was obtained than could be 
had from the old method. Of course more tubers are re- - 
quired for planting, but these bear no proportion to the 
great increase which results; and besides, early potatoes at 
the planting season being unfit for table use, there is little 
economy in sparing them. 
The earliest crop should, if possible, be placed in a light 
soil, and in a warm situation, and should be planted about 
the middle of March. Sometimes the eyes of the tubers 
are made to spring or vegetate on a hotbed, and the plants 
are put out as soon as the leaves can bear the open air. 
Perhaps it is better, as recommended by Mr. Saul, of Lan- 
