Cultivation of Arable Land.— Potatoes. 611

potatoes, where only one or two eyes are preferved, may be the moft proper and fuccefsful in producing crops; as where whole potatoes are employed, from the great number of eyes, and the confequent production of numerous ftems, the crops may be liable to be too thick or clofe on the ground, and in that way be rendered weak, and the produce of courfe fmall and deficient, the bulbs not being able to fwell out and diftend themfelves fufficiently.

It is remarked by the ingenious. experimenter mentioned above, that“ the greater the number of ftrong fibres and roots, the more they fearch for food, and the more earth they difplace in the courfe of their growing, which divides the foil more minutely and gives it the advantage of better pulverifation; and the greater abundance there is of leaf, the more nourifhment is extra€ted from the air, and which are thus made to co-operate more with the vegetable paf- ture in the foil in bringing the plants to perfe€tion; and the thick foliage of the crop, by its umbrageous fhade, has the fame ameliorating qualities with a heavy crop of peas, or beans, in deftroying weeds, retaining the dews, and pre- venting the draught from penetrating and exhaufting the foil.”

He adds, however, that“ it is to be obferved, that too many as well as too few ftems are unfavourable to the prevalence of fibres, and to the luxuriance of the leaves.” It is therefore concluded, that perhaps pieces about two ounces in weight are the moft proper for being planted, and whole potatoes from that weight to one ounce; thefe, fays he, may be called large pieces and {mall potatoes; and from them, it is probable, there will iffue a fufficient num- ber of ftems to produce as many roots as the immediately furrounding earth can bring to perfe&tion. To produce more, he thinks, would make the roots{mall; to produce fewer, would give a lefs quantity of root from the acre.

On thefe accounts, therefore, as well as from large whole potatoes, and large cuttings, confuming fo much feed, it is evident that they can feldom be

EXPERIMENTS IN 1795, without dung, after dunged potatoes.

Rows. Inches diftant Value of produce per in TOWS. acre, Jeed dedusted. fe. Sid,

1. Shoots<-°> 12: 15) Lg os 2. Large pieces:;: 12: 96-1 Loy; 3. Large whole:.. 12. 23° 1O" or 4. Small whole::- 12: Df 5 Ne 5. Middle-fized whole F: 12= A 2a 6. Middle-fized whole:. 9: mpe 19) 5a 7. Middle-fized whole 6 Yo© a Be