By Thomas Andrew Knight, Esq. 37 



think, by means of a temperate hot-bed, the surface of the mould 

 of which might be applied to other purposes ; but I should prefer 

 clean and barren sand for the tubers to be placed in, as those could 

 not receive early benefit from a rich soil, and their produce might 

 be injured in quality. 



The largest crops of early Potatoes will usually be obtained 

 from tubers, which have ripened late, and somewhat imperfectly, 

 in the preceding year; but it is quite essential to the success of 

 the preceding experiment, that the tubers which are planted in 

 autumn, should have ripened early in the foregoing summer ; for 

 otherwise they will not be found sufficiently excitable in autumn. 

 It is also necessary that they should be of large size, otherwise the 

 young potatoes which they afford will be small ; and it will be ad- 

 vantageous, if the tubers to be planted have been detached from 

 their parent plants upon their having just attained their full growth. 



I believe, but I am not prepared to speak upon the evidence of 

 experiment, that the best and the most economical mode of treating 

 the old tubers, after their progress of vegetation has been arrested 

 by cold, will be to put them into such heaps as are usually seen in 

 the gardens of cottagers, and to cover them with mould ; as a very 

 large quantity would occupy only a small space, and their produce 

 would there probably acquire a more early maturity, and might be 

 collected at any time with little trouble. 



A writer, in Mr. Loudon's Gardener's Magazine, has recom- 

 mended the exposure of such potatoes as are intended for planting 

 to the sun as soon as they acquire their full growth, till they attain 

 a green colour ; and I am inclined to think the process may prove 

 in some degree advantageous, for the action of the sun and air cer- 

 tainly causes chemical changes to take place in their component 

 parts ; and chemical changes are the precursors and concomitants 

 of excitability, if not the cause and source of it. I am also inclined 

 to think that similar treatment would be beneficial in the culture 



