CHA P. V.

OF THE TIME OF PLANTING.

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Authorities from the Reports.

FEA early potatoes, in Chefhire, the ſets quring winter are care fully guarded from froſt in a warm place, where they may ſprout at leaſt three inches by the beginning of March; after that time, the firſt favour- able ſeaſon they are, with the ſprout on, carefully planted in a dry ſoil, covered at nights with ſtraw or ruſhes as long as froſts continue: ready to take up the middle of May.(a)

About Penzance, they phant the Kidney Potatoe at or before Chriſtmas; which they take up in May, and replant the ſame ground with the Apple Potatoe. The crops of both large; but the ſecond double the firſt.(5b)

At Axveley, in Efſex, planting is generally finiſhed by the firſt of Junc.(c)

In Lancafhire, April the prime ſeafon; but frequently through May, and even in June; and though the quality from theſe late plantings are not equal, yet the crops abundant. Spring froſts often miſchievous to early planted crops.(d,

In the Ifle of Man, from the end of March till the middle of May. About the firſt of May gives the greateſt crops.(e)—

In the Carſe of Gourie they obferve, that the quality of the potatoe de- pends greatly on the time of planting: it muſt be planted early(that is, the beginning of April) to be dry and mealy.

In Mid Lothian, generally in April; but ſometimes as late as the firſt of June(½). The earlieſt planted make the beſt or moſt mealy potatoe; but are more liable to be curled, and always leſs prolific. Late planted, watery; crop more abundant, and curl ſeldom.

In Ayrſhire, they are planted in the month of June.(b)

(a) Cheſter, p. 18..(5/ Cornwall, p. 38. ſc/ Eſſex, by Vancouver. (d, Lancaſter, p. 29. ſe)] Iſle of Man, p. 36. ⸗9 Carſe of Gourie, p. 13. ) M. Lothian, p. 68 and 9.(4) Ayrfhire, z6.

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