[02 



THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



[Mar. 



thered from the lateral flower-stems. This curious circum- 

 stance has not altogether escaped the notice of some ol our 

 olden gardeners. 



PLANTING POTATOES, 



About the middle or latter end of this month, it will be 

 proper to plant potatoes on a border, which is light and early. 

 The ground need not be manured for this crop, if it be in 

 a tolerably good condition ; for as the produce is seldom allowed 

 to arrive at its full maturity, the soil will consequently not be 

 exhausted, which is the case only when the potatoes are allowed 

 to remain in the ground until they be fully ripe. In those 

 cases, however, where it is intended that the crops shall stand 

 until they have come to maturity, it will be necessary to give 

 the ground a good di'essing of manure. 



The ash-leaved and early dwarf, but particularly the former, 

 are the best kinds to be planted at this season, as they require 

 less room than any other kinds. They may be planted six 

 or eight in a line, and about fifteen inches between each line. 

 If the ground be in any degree wet or damp, they may be 

 planted in drills about three inches deep; but if it be light 

 and dry, they may be dibbled in. It must be observed, how- 

 ever, that this method is recommended only to save time, as 

 the drill is to be preferred to the dibble for all kinds of seeds 

 and roots. 



Potatoes may be planted with propriety in ground wnich 

 has been under the same crop the preceding year. This is, 

 however, with a few other vegetables, an exception to the 

 general rule of changing their situation annually. In Corn- 

 wall, the same ground that has borne a crop of early potatoes 

 is frequently planted with a late or winter crop, and both are 

 found to succeed to perfection. The same practice is not un- 

 common in Ireland, and many parts of Lancashire. In Corn- 

 wall, they always procure their seed-potatoes, either every year 

 or every alternate year, fi'om a granite soil, knowing from 

 experience, ^ that the gi'eat increase in the produce, justifies 

 the additional trouble and expense. 



