Jan.\ THE FORCING GARDEN. 625 



of the potatoes, it will generally afibrd a strong heat when 

 well watered. I confine my plants (which are naturally of a 

 very dwarfish growth) to small pots, because, under this mode 

 of culture, the tubers acquire maturity sooner, and are better ; 

 but the crop is not so heavy, as where the roots are permitted 

 to extend more widely; and therefore, where a larger but rather 

 later crop is required, the best plan is to put the tubers to 

 vegetate in small pots, and from these to remove them, with 

 their roots and germes uninjured, to the hot-bed. I tried the 

 effect of placing a few tubers (half a dozen only) on the floor 

 of my cellar, disposing them just in contact with each other, 

 and as soon as the germes were about four inches long, a hot- 

 bed was made to receive them. This experiment succeeded 

 perfectly, and as it is not attended with so much expense and 

 trouble as either of the preceding methods, it will be found 

 in many cases the most eligible. All that appears necessary 

 to obtain an early crop, is to advance the growth of the plant 

 as much as convenient under a low temperature, so as to avoid 

 all unnecessary expenditure of its excitability, and, conse- 

 quently, to preserve its germes and roots as much as possible 

 uninjured by transplantation." 



The only real difference between Mr. Knight's method, and 

 that which we have practised for upwards of twenty years, as 

 described above, is that he commences vegetation in a low tem- 

 perature, and ours is commenced in rather a higher degree of 

 heat ; his reason is to prevent expending the excitability of the 

 plant. Our success has, however, been so complete, that we 

 question much if this excitability be injurious to the potato, by 

 our keeping them always in nearly the same temperature. 



Several writers in the same Transactions adopt methods simi- 

 lar to the following, for procuring young potatoes. That of 

 Mr. Ashworth is given in the following words : In the be- 

 ginning of April, a number of large potatoes are selected, and 

 laid up in a dry airy room ; they are turned over four or five 

 times during the summer, and all shoots which they make are 

 taken off as they appear. These are used for the seed, and are 

 planted in succession from the beginning of September to the 

 end of December in boxes, in the following manner: In the 

 bottom of each box, a layer of light vegetable mould, four 



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