408 On the Culture of the Potatoe. 



planted tubers ; and as large a breadth of foliage is exposed 

 to the light by the small, as could be exposed by a large, 

 variety ; and as I have always found the amount of the produce, 

 under any given external circumstance, to be regulated by the 

 extent of foliage which was exposed to light ; I think it pro- 

 bable that I shall obtain as large, or very nearly as large, a 

 crop from the small variety in the present year as I obtained 

 from the large variety in the last. I have uniformly found, 

 that to obtain crops of Potatoes of great weight and excel- 

 lence, the period of planting should never be later than 

 the beginning of March. 



Postscript. 



March 23, 1829. Somewhat contrary to my expectations, 

 the produce of the small early Potatoe exceeded very consi- 

 derably that of the large one above mentioned ; being per acre 

 665 bushels of 82 pounds. It is usually calculated by farmers 

 that eighty pounds of Potatoes, though eaten raw, after they 

 have begun to germinate, will afford two pounds of Pork ; and 

 I doubt much if the haulm, and the whole of the manure 

 made by the hogs, were restored to the ground, whether it 

 would be in any degree impoverished. I am not satisfied that 

 it would not be enriched, — an important subject for consider- 

 ation in a country of which the produce is at present unequal 

 to support its inhabitants, and which produce is I confidently 

 believe and fear growing gradually less, whilst the number of 

 its inhabitants is rapidly increasing. 



