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When old paſtures are broke up, the crop ſown is generally oats er wheat(the firſt is the moſt common): but if, inſtead of this practice, potatoes were planted the firſt year, and a crop of turnips ſown broad-caſt after they were taken up, to be eaten off with ſheep early in the ſpring, a better crop of oats would be obtained next ſeaſon, and the land would be in much better heart. The expence of paring and burning would not only be ſaved by this means, but every valuable principle contained in the ſoil would be preſerved and improved. 2 Anſawers well as a frft Crop upon Commons or Maſie Lands, wbhen tbey are brought under ibe Plougb. Upon commons or waſte lands the ſame mode may be fol- lowed; which will fave the expenſive and pernicious practice of paring and burning, than which nothing can be more deſtructive; and the poorer the ſoil, the more beneficial will its effects be.
There is hardly any deſcription of commons or waſte lands upon which potatoes may not be planted the firſt year, provided only that the ground is tõlerably dry; and in caſes where it is wet, the lazy bed method may be had recourſe to with ſucceſs.
Where potatoes are planted upon lands that are of a good quality, and have been long under tillage, they fhould never be thought of but when ſuch lands require to be fallowed: in that caſe, a very good crop may be raiſed without manure, provided the ſoil is not very thin and light. It is by no means uncommon for the inhabitants of large towns and villages to glve five or ſix guineas per acre to the farmers in their immediate vieinity, for lands of this deſcription, which they plant with potatoes: the farmer being at the trouble of ploughing the land, and the perſon who rents it paying the expence of ſeed, and all the ſubſequent operations.
DTrops raiſed in this way are in general very productive; and from the ſame perſons continuing to take land every year for this purpoſe at ſo high a rent, and furniſhing labour beſides, it is evident that they muſt find it profitable.
The ordinary operations for crops raiſed upon the beſt lands, are two or three hoeings and two ploughings. In the firſt ploughing the earth is
taken away from the roots, and laid up into a ridge in the middle of the
interſpace: in the ſecond, a deep furrow is taken in the middle of the ſpace between the drills; which completely lays the earth up to the roots
of the potatoes; after which no farther operation is neceflary till the crop
is ripe, except picking up by the hand any weeds that may be growing in the drill, and which may haye made th Ploughing are over.
*
eir appearance after the hoeing and


