378 Glimpses of Farming in the Channel Islands. 
by the great Jersey plough, drawn by six horses, which goes 
about 10 inches (deeper in 1869) below the depth touched by 
the small plough. Formerly the stable manure or seaweed was 
jDut on the land before the ploughing was begun ; but now it is 
usual to put it on just before sowing the seed, except, as already 
explained, when seaweed is put on the temporary grasses of the 
preceding year. 
Planting is, in favourable seasons, begun in January, and 
should be finished by the end of February ; but this year the 
work was not nearly finished by the middle of March. The seed is 
planted in rows 14 inches to 20 inches apart, the sets being about 
12 inches apart in the rows. The work is usually done with a 
small one-horse plough, the sets being covered with only 2 or 
3 inches of soil. From 30 to 40 cahots per vergee, or 17 to 26 
cwt. per acre, according to the size of the sets, are commonly 
planted now, according to Mr. Le Gros. Colonel Le Comu, in 
1870, said about 20 cahots per vergee used to be planted; but 
this was probably when "old" potatoes were produced. The 
land is usually lightly harrowed just before the tops prick 
through, then forked up between the rows and hoed in 
the rows when the tops show, and afterwards the tops are 
earthed up with the plough. The crop is usually dug up by 
hand, and not often ploughed up. The price paid for digging 
and collecting the tubers in rows is about 25s. a vergee when 
labourers are hired to do the work ; but this does not include 
picking up or filling the carts. 
The varieties of potatoes most commonly gi'own in 1870, 
according to Colonel Le Comu, were the Ashleaf, Prolific, Early 
Fluke, Trois Mois, Dalmahoy, and Early Regents. At present 
the prevailing sorts are the Ashleaf (Myatt's), the Royal Jersey 
Fluke, the Old Jersey Fluke, and Prince of Wales. The old 
Jersey Fluke is considered the best of all varieties, or at least as 
good as Myatt's Ashleaf ; but the favourite variety among 
growers now is the Royal Jersey Fluke, although it is of inferior 
quality. The reason of the preference for the last-named variety 
is that it is very early and pi'olific, while the tubers are large. 
London buyers, it appears, will have large tubers, no matter 
what the quality may be. At any rate, although the quality of 
the Royal Jersey Fluke is notoriously poor, it was selling at 
Is. a caI>ot, or 52s. a ton, more than the Ashleaf at the end of 
June. Such an argument for the growth of the variety is irre- 
sistible ; but there are some misgivings lest Jersey potatoes 
should lose their reputation among British consumers, although 
dealers appear to care more for appearance than for flavour. 
In an early season, digging commences on the most forward 
