42 
Agriculture of the Islands of 
the plough opens a fresh drill, and with the mould raised covers 
t!ie sets in the one just planted. The quantity of seed used is about 
20 cvvt. per acre. When the young plants are about to penetrate 
tlie surface, the ground is harrowed lightly to loosen it, as well as 
to destroy any small weeds which may have sprung up since the 
planting. The harrow is very beneficial, so long as the young 
plant is not disturbed ; but in order to avoid this, of late many 
farmers have used the fork. When five or six inches high, the 
plants are earthed up with a small plough having a double mould- 
board ; in most cases horses are not employed for this work, but 
the plough is managed by two men, one drawing and the other 
directing it. Here ends the work before digging them out of the 
ground. The sorts commonly planted are — Early Shaws, Forty- 
folds, Gold-finders, Crapaudines, and Kidneys, for early produce ; 
and the Regent, Scotch, Pink-eye, and Jersey blue, for later crops. 
Tlie Early Shaws and Eorty-folds come ripe the first ; the Gold- 
finder is also a fine potato, but not quite so early : diflperent 
varieties of Kidneys are planted, but only in gardens, never in any 
quantity, — they are not so much esteemed by farmers as the other 
sorts. The Regent is the best potato grown, be it for quality or 
quantity of produce ; formerly the Scotch was the most esteemed, 
but of late years the return has been very small and poor. The 
Pink-eye is a worthless sort, which should never have been 
introduced into the island ; it is very productive, but of a bad 
quality. The old Jersey blue, once universally grown, is now 
almost lost, very few seem to cultivate it. Jersey was once 
famous for the cultivation of potatoes. Before the visitation of 
Providence upon the plant, the enormous produce of 18 tons per 
acre was not uncommon, but now it is a good crop which yields 
from 8 to 9 tons on the same quantity of land. Some farmers 
prefer spade-digging to the large plough for potatoes. A trench 
is opened at one end of the field, then with the spade the crust is 
taken off and thrown into it in seams about 18 inches wide and 
4 inches thick ; over this is spread the manure evenly, then the 
subsoil is dug and put on the surface; so that when the sets 
are planted they are almost on the manure itself. This is 
considered the best mode to ensure a good return, for, in the case 
of ploughing with the large plough, the manure is frequently 
sunk too deep, and its properties lost. For parsnips it is very 
different ; this root penetrates extremely low and arrives at the 
manure, but the potato unless planted very deep does not obtain 
the benefit. During the months of January, February, and 
March, the farmer attends to his pastures. The westerly winds 
prevalent during the winter montlis bring with them quan- 
tities of seaweed ; this is an excellent dressing, producing grass 
of the best quality ; cattle will feed with avidity on pastures 
