64 
CULTURE OF POTATOES. 
earthed than in those that have been earthed in a proper manner, 
which of course affects the value of the crop very materially. In 
early crops, there is not that necessity for moulding up as in later 
ones; the former, being of more humble growth, and not remaining 
so long on the ground, are not so liable to be turned green by the 
influence of light, being generally taken from the ground before they 
have found their way through mother earth. If these hints meet 
your approbation, I will submit a few more on the culture of pota¬ 
toes for feeding cattle and pigs, and on their application to domestic 
economy. 
J 
ARTICLE VI.—CULTURE OF POTATOES, 
y PY MANCUNIENSIS. 
I am happy to see that my communication of a new mode of 
forcing potatoes has proved interesting to some of your correspon¬ 
dents. I have great pleasure in explaining it further, as requested 
by one of them in a former number. 
The mode I should adopt, would be to take off the top of an old 
hot bed, fork the dung up, and then put a layer of soil, a few inches 
thick, upon which I should plant some small whole potatoes, or as 
they are generally called “Chats,” covering them once with a thin 
layer of soil, and one of litter. Then I should cover the litter with 
gorse or heath, and the whole with a good layer of soil. The heat 
which will arise from the litter, at the bottom of the bed, will soon 
cause the sets to sprit, and the shoots will push up through the layer 
of soil and litter above them, and the gorse or heath will prevent the 
top soil from falling upon and crushing them. 
My informant’s resource was more simple, as he, instead of an old 
hotbed, used only the natural soil. By digging the trenches deep, 
he effectually drained the bed, which is very material (for if the sets 
got too wet they would rot,) and he was also able to plant them con¬ 
siderably below the surface of the ground, which would render them 
less exposed to the weather, and which of course could not be with 
a hotbed, unless one were sunk in the ground for the purpose. The 
time for planting is as early as possible after the potatoes have been 
taken up, and of course the earlier the sets are planted, the earlier 
will the new potatoes be ready. There will be very little trouble 
about the subsequent culture, as when once planted they need not be 
touched until the time for getting them up arrives, which can only 
be ascertained by taking off a small portion of the bed and looking 
at them. 
