Druckschrift 
Report of the committee of the board of agriculture, appointed to extract information from the county reports, and other authorities, concerning the culture and use of potatoes
Entstehung
Einzelbild herunterladen

1 rzz

a valuable nouriſhment for the crop, and every inconvenie nce attending its uſe will be avoided.

The Quantity of Manure and its Price.

The quantity of manure neceſſary for a potatoe-crop, differs according to the nature of the ſoil and other circumſtances. Where ſtable-dung is uſed upon ſandy or gravelly ſoils(and we are of opinion it ſhould be em- pPloyed upon no other) the quantity is generally about thirty loads per acre: in ſome caſes, however, forty loads are laid on; which, at 28. per load, is 41.

Where furze, broom, ſtraw, or brown moſs(vulgarly called fog) are made uſe of as manures, it ſhould only be upon ſtiff clays. Their value upon ſuch lands(as we have already noticed) depends more upon their keeping the ground open than upon any enriching quality they poſſeſs. Where the clay is ſtiff, the quantity made uſe of will require to be very conſiderable. In general, however, an acre may be done with furze, broom, or brown moſs, for about 10s. where thefe articles can be eafil got. Heath may alſo be ſucceſsfully employed for the fame purpoſe. But where rank ſtable-dung or wheat-ſtraw are uſed, the expence will run from 408. to 3l. per acre. The uſe of either wheat-ſtraw or long dung we reprobate, as clay lands will receive the ſame(perhaps a greater) benefit from furze, broom, heath, peat-moſs, or fog. When ſtable-dung is put into the earth in an unfermented ſtate, it does little more than keep the ſoil open; and though it may decay when ſo applied, the ſucceeding crops will be very little benefited thersby. Wheat- ſtraw is ſtill worſe; as the utmoſt benefit the ſoil derives from it is the addition of a ſmall quantity of vegetable earth.

Befides, the uſe of theſe ſhrubby piants will have one ſingular advantage, which can hardly be expected from any other contrivance; that is, the drills will act as a kind of drains for carrying off the water, and by that means render the field drier; which, where Potatoe-Crops are planted upon clay lands, is a very important confſideration.

In ſpeaking of the improvement of waſte lands, eſpecially ſuch as are covered with furze, heath,&c. and where either the ſurface or fub-foil is clay, we may take notice of the utility of drains made with theſe ſhrubs: at preſent we confine our obſervations, as to their utility, folely to the cultivation of potatoes; and upon that ſubject we truſt the hints thrown out will not be deemed altogether uſeleſs,

X 2