Agriculture of the Scilly Isles. 
379 
breezy day in the open air, the wind separating the chaff from 
the grain, which is allowed to fall through a sieve. But win- 
nov/ers are gradually being introduced, as are also chaff-cutters 
and turnip-cutters. 
Crops. 
Potatoes. — The cultivation of early potatoes receives much 
attention. This crop, indeed, forms the main support of the 
Scillonian farmer, and is grown in all sheltered spots. Late 
potatoes are only planted in poor soils, and exposed situations, or 
after the failure of the early crop. The Gillyflower is the early 
kind generally grown. Its tuber is round, with a white skin, 
shallow eyes, and a purplish-pink marking on one side. We 
Avere told that this was the only variety of potato which could be 
grown with success every year on the same land. 
Regents, roughs, robins, rocks, flukes, and Irish are also 
planted. 
The preparation of the land is well attended to, every effort 
being made to render it thoroughly light and clean. Large 
quantities of sea-weed and farmyard manure are used. Some 
farmers prefer to apply them in the form of a compost. Others 
first plough in a dressing of farmyard manure, and then proceed 
to collect seaweed for future application. 
The seed time for early potatoes extends from the end of 
November to the beginning of January. Later sorts are planted 
in February and March. The preservation and preparation of 
the seed are carefully considered, three points being kept in 
view : — 
1st. That the seed should be preserved in thin layers on 
shelves, with the crown end uppermost. 
2nd. That it should be evenly "shot." 
3rd. That it should be cut into sets. 
Even small seed-potatoes are cut, because the plants come 
earlier. To this rule an exception is made in the case of flukes, 
which are said to be more liable to disease when cut. 
Potatoes are planted either in beds, 4 feet in width, or on the 
flat. When farmers adopt the latter plan they prefer to dig in 
the sets, only using the plough to economise time. In the 
former, which is the more common method, rows 1 foot apart 
are made across the beds, 6 to 9 inches being left between each 
set in the row. In all cases the sets are barely covered with soil. 
In ploughing, they are placed half-way down every second furrow. 
15 cwt. of seed-potatoes are used per acre in planting on the 
flat, 20 cwt. in beds. 
We were told that the outside plants in the bed are the most 
productive. 
VOL. VI. — S.S. 2 D 
