The Potaioe Plague. 109 
potatoe having no open space left beneath it, when dropped 
into the hole. For large fields which cannot well be dug or 
planted in this manner I would recommend that the ground 
be prepared and the dung spread exactly as for oats or barley. 
Then have the ground drilled, and in planting place the seed 
potatoe in the clear soil, on the back of the half drill, formed 
by the return of the plough, which half drill should be made 
larger than ordinary, to bring the seed as near to the centre 
of the drill as possible, so as to afford it every advantage of 
the fresh soil to vegetate in. In this way, the fructilying 
earth, in which the seed is embedded, will secure its health- 
ful vegetation, and as it progresses in its growth, and so soon 
as it throws out roots, it will reap the full benefit of the ma- 
nure contained in the surrounding soil. It is of the utmost 
importance to have the seed planted, so as it may have 
the earth both below and above it when put in; for in heep- 
ing the seed free from the dung, I apprehend, lies the whole 
secret, which should be particularly attended to.” 
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