FORCING DEPARTMENT. 433 



FORCING THE POTATOE. 



New Potatoes being, at an early period of the 

 year, a favourite luxury, are, naturally, then in 

 much repute. This root is most generally accele- 

 rated by prepared beds of fermenting substances, 

 such as dung or leaves, or a mixture of both ; either 

 will form very suitable beds. If dung is used, it 

 will be necessary to have it turned several times 

 before it is made up, in order to allow the rank steam 

 to evaporate, and the violence of the heat to subside ; 

 but if leaves only are used, as is the case here, they 

 may be formed into a bed at once, as the evaporation 

 arising from them will not injure the Potatoe sets. 

 When Potatoe beds are made up in January, they 

 should consist in thickness of three feet, at least, as 

 it is necessary to have a good body of dung or leaves 

 together, in order to retain the heat through the 

 severity of the Winter, although a very low tempe- 

 rature will be quite sufficient for bringing the 

 Potatoe to perfection: it is necessary to protect 

 them from cold and frost, of which it is very impatient. 

 As soon as the temperature of the bed is ascertained 

 to be of a mild heat, the surface should be well trod 

 and levelled, and have from four to five inches of 

 light sandy dry soil spread over it ; this soil should 

 be well incorporated with rotten dung or leaf mould. 

 While the dung or the leaves are getting in readi- 

 ness, the Potatoes should be cut, and the roots 

 3 K 



