380 Glim'pses of Farming in the Channel Islands. ^ 
the effect that his average returns for 13 vergees of potato-land j 
for the four years ending with 1887 was 271. per vergee, or ^ 
601. 15s. per acre. This season Mr. Lefeuvre was one of the i 
first to dig out-door potatoes, and he realised 8s. per cahot in 
the first week of June, or 20Z. 16s. per ton. Probably the yield | 
of the crop was not large, as the tubers could scarcely have | 
attained much size ; but if it were only 3 cahots per perch, the j 
gross returns were 108L an acre. i 
More astonishing than any of these figures are those given 
in the British Press and Jersey Times Almanack, as from 
" reliable, though unofficial sources," making the exports of \ 
potatoes from Jersey last year amount to 50,670 tons, valued at 
•i34,917Z. As there wei-e 6,488 acres of potatoes in the island 
In 1887, this account makes the average gross returns equal to 
over 671. an acre, without allowing anything for potatoes con- 
sumed at home and saved for seed. Judging from the official i 
Annual Statement of Trade for the United Kingdom, and the ' 
value of the exports from Guernsey, declared by the Guernsey ( 
Chamber of Commerce, the figures given above are under-es- ' 
timates ; for the value of potatoes imported from the Channel 
Islands is put down in the " Statement" at 511, 278^., while the 
exports of tubers from Guernsey are valued by the Chamber at j 
50,000Z. The balance, 461,278L, would allov^ over 711. for every j 
acre in Jersey. In addition to the quantity exported, it is 
estimated that 8,000 tons were retained in the island.' It is \ 
true that 1887 was an exceptionally good year for Jersey growers. i 
In 1886, which was a very bad year in respect of prices, the ^ 
exports were estimated at 62,208 tons, valued at 279,572Z. ; 
This valuation makes the return for exported tubers under ( 
44Z. per acre on the 6,411 acres grown in that year ; but there ' 
is a great discrepancy between the official and unofficial values 
for 1886. In the "Annual Statement," the value of potatoes I 
imported in that year from the Channel Islands (and there are ] 
no direct imports from Alderney or Sark) is put at 459,395^. j 
Therefore, unless the value of the potatoes exported from 
Guernsey in 1886 was very much greater than that of 1887, 
which is unlikely, the value of the Jersey exports must have 
been over 100,000^. in excess of the sum stated in the unofficial 
estimate. i 
It is to be feared that the returns on the potato crop this 
year will be lower than they have been in any previous year 
since early tubers were grown in the island. It has been stated , 
' The French Consul at St. Heliers, in a Report sent to his own Government, 
valued the potato crop of 1887 at 721. for every acre grown in Jersey. 
I 
