20 FARMER'S CALENDAR.[| MARCH.

in the sets; or, in the lazy bed method, well known and little worth description.

As to the proper field culture, it is immaterial whether the sets be dibbled or laid into furrows, drawn for that purpose with the plough, or by hand with the hoe; Ialwaysuse the latter method, and have them planted pretty deep, and well co- vered. The tilth should be fine, and upon the ridge, a quantity of the best dung, between twen- ty and forty cart loads to an acre, being well stir- red‘in with the last ploughing. From ten to fif- teen bushels will plant an acre, and the eyes only need be used, two or three of them being laid to- gether. Distance between the plants, from six to ten inches; between the rows, equally, front two anda half to three: feet. This distance will

admit the horse-hoe, and even independent of

that consideration, is perhaps more favourable to the luxuriant growth of the plants, than one more confined, as in the case of most of them growing, the land will be fully covered. Any soil of tolerable depth, except mere clay, will

grow potatoes, and the crop varies between one,

and six or seven hundred bushels per acre. A wet season, which makes plenty of grass, 1s also favourable to potatoes; a dry, blighting spring, vith cold easterly winds, is unfavourable on se- veral accounts, and generally half destroys the crop. Such a season being very productive of the grub-worm, the rooks in search of that prey, will tear up the plants as soon as they shoot, and even devour many ofthem.<A few years back I had a crop nearly destroyed in this manner, not being aware of any danger to potatoes from birds. Po-

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