I 145

and he is perſuaded, that to make them generally uſed, they require only to begenerally known..

Theſe advantages ariſing from the uſe of Potatoes in the rearing and fattening of the different claſſes of domeſtic animals, are no doubt very confiderable; but when to theſe we add the increaſe of human food that is derived from the cultivation of Potatoes, the improvement that will be made upon waſte and poor lands, and the advantages refulting therefrom both with regard to agriculture and manufactures, we truſt that no additional arguments need be uſed to convince both the legiſlature and individuals of the immenſe benefit that will ariſe to every deſcription of perſons concerned either in the property or cultivation of the ſoil.

Having thus mentioned, at conſiderable length, the beſt kinds of pota- toes, the purpoſes to which they may be reſpectively applied, and the advantages attending the uſe of them, we now proceed to mention the mode of cultivation.

in the former part of this memoir we have taken notice, that a very con- ſiderable part of the benefit reſulting from the increaſed cultivation of this root, will ariſe from the circumſtance of its being raiſed with little trouble upon moſſy, muiry, or waſte lands; the next advantage ariſes from their being raiſéd without manure. This enables the farmer to apply the whole of his dung,&c. to his corn-crops: a circumſtance of very confiderable im- portance. This practice may be ſucceſsfully followed, except in a very few inſtances, where the ſoil is either a light gravel or ſand: in theſe caſes Potatoes will not thrive without manure.

Cultivation of the Eary Potatoe. We ſhall firſt take notice of the mode of cultivating the early potatoe. In different places different contrivances are made uſe of, not only to have the Crop as early as poſſible, but alſo to have ſucceſfive crops upon the ſame field in the courſe of one ſeaſon. The moſt approved of theſe ſeems to be that practiſed in the county of Lancaſter; which we beg leave to quote in the Surveyor's own words, taken from the 32 page of that Report.

„¹They cut the ſets, and put them on a room floor where a ſtrong cur- ³ rent of air can be introduced at pleaſure; they are laid thin, about two ec or three lays in depth, and covered with oat-ſhells, or ſaw-duſt, to the ¹I thickneſs of two or three inches: this, at the ſame time that it ſcreens c them from the froſt, affords a moderate degree of warmth, which cauſes them to vegetate, but at the ſame time admits air enough to harden the * ſhoots: the doors and windows are opened as often as the weather is ¹c mild enough to admit of its being done with ſafety. The ſets are fre- ²e quently examined, and when the fhoots have ſprung an inch and an half *e or two inches, the covering is carefully removed, either with a wooden * rake, or with the fingers. In this manner they remain till the planting-

U