By John Lindley, Esq. 



161 



of at least three tons and a half more ; or a clear gain of five tons 

 an acre ; or, a produce of 1 1 tons, 8 cwt. which would be very con- 

 siderable for so small a kind. 



Or, taking an extreme case of produce to which no addition can 

 be expected, the gain will still be found to be most essentially in 

 favour of Mr. Knight's method. La Divergente furnished us with 

 a proof of this. Cultivated in two feet rows, the plants a foot 

 apart, or each having six inches square to grow in, it yielded 

 19 tons, 19 cwt. 32 lb. ; but one tuber, in four feet square, pro- 

 duced at the rate of 21 tons, 13 cwt. 59 lb., making a difference in 

 favour of the latter of 1 ton, 14 cwt. 27 lb. ; to which add the 

 saving of 16,332 tubers in planting, or about 10 cwt. 60 lb. and the 

 total gain is 2 tons, 4 cwt. 87 lb. 



From the foregoing facts, it seems that the following conclusion 

 (which is quite confirmatory of Mr. Knight's statements) may be 

 safely drawn. 



In order to acquire the greatest possible weight of potatoes per 

 acre, it is necessary that large sound heavy tubers should be em- 

 ployed, and that the space allowed for the growth of each plant 

 should be as nearly as possible such as it would naturally occupy, 

 if suffered to spread freely on all sides without interruption ; that 

 this space will vary according to the habits of particular varieties, 

 and can only be determined by accurate experiments ; that too 

 much and too little room are alike injurious to productiveness ; 

 and that finally, it is quite practicable at least to double the crops 

 that are usually obtained. 



It cannot be necessary for me, after this statement, to make any 

 remarks upon the methods at present in use, of planting sets or 

 fragments, or the smallest tubers, or even, as sometimes in Ireland, 

 parings of the Potatoe; the evil consequences of such practices 

 cannot but be apparent to every one. 



