Cultivation of the Potatoe. 11 
eficial to potatoes, and the more so in proportion to the close- 
ness of its contact with them; it should, therefore, not be 
carted and put into the ground till just before the seed time 
of ploughing. But for light soils, the dung must either be in 
a more advanced stage of decomposition, or it must be mixed 
with the earth by several ploughings. 
Very healthy potatoes are+also produced by the use of 
other active manures, such as scrapings of horn spread in the 
furrows at the seed time ploughing, rags of wool, and the 
refuse of the tan yard. Turning sheep on to the field after 
the potatoes have been set, is likewise very efficacious in 
promoting their growth, but it gives the tubers a bad flavor. 
There is also a limit to the degree of cultivation proper for 
potatoes ; ifit be surpassed the haulm becomes excessively 
large, and falls upon the ground; the number of tubers is 
then much diminished. 
In setting potatoes, it is necessary to select the most healthy 
and vigorous tubers; not such as have already been depriv- 
ed of two or three of their buds, because the most vigorous 
buds are always the first chosen. Especially must those be 
rejected which have been much exposed to the cold, even 
though they should not have been much injured by frost. 
Potatoes grown in pits, mounds, or hollows, where frost hag 
penetrated and destroyed a portion of tubers, are very uncer- 
tain in plantations; I am sure of this from my own experi- 
ence. They either do not shoot up at all, or produce but 
feeble plants; great care should therefore be taken to pre- 
serve those which are intended for setting. 
J am aware that many cultivators have obtained abundant 
crops of large potatoes by planting none but small tubers ; 
nevertheless I prefer setting those of large and average size, 
especially for certain varieties. Small tubers have not the 
same power of germination as large ones, and often do not 
germinate at all; whereas, those of large size may without 
injury be cut in halves. 
