of; from a persuasion that the potatoe thrives better by being planted on the good soil, where it lies dry, and receives the benefit of the sun and atmosphere, than it does in a lower, and consequently colder situation. When the drilling plough has made ready about half, or three quarters of an acre, I set from four to six horses, according to the distance I have to draw out the manure, appointing as many men, generally four, to the dung-hill, as will be sufficient to keep the horses employed ; I next appoint two men to throw the manure off the carts into six drills, each taking three, and six men to spread it carefully after them, with the same number of women or girls to drop the sets into the drills, at five or six inches distance; and as the drilling plough gets much faster on than the planting, it turns behind them at proper intervals of time, and with the wings or mould-boards extended, runs a furrow exactly in the middle between two drills, and covers them, and when it comes up with the planters, leaves them and prepares more drills, having no other alteration to make but changing' the double trees; as it requires one of six feet for covering to allow the horses to walk on the space between the drills, that they may not tread on the sets, as would be the case with a common tree. By this mode, one pair of horses is able to drill and cover between two and three acres in a day, to employ twelve men, six horses and drivers, and six women. The dung is not exposed to the sun and air to exhaust its salts, and the land is left in a drilled state again, which prevents it from being injured by the rain. If the weather is dry and the soil loose at the time of planting, I pass a roller up every two drills, which presses the sets into the dung, closes the earth over them, and breaks any lumps that have been thrown up by the plough. In attending to the culture of potatoes, I have generally observed, that in a showery season a great many seed-weeds make their appearance amongst them before they are up, and make a considerable progress before they can be destroyed by the action of the stripping plough, which cannot be used till the potatoes are distinctly seen. To remedy this, I invented a small hinge-harrow with handles, like a plough, which is drawn by one horse between the drills and completely cleans both sides at once, exterminating the weeds and ameliorating the soil, without injuring the plants, except a few, perhaps either just up, or near the surface. The next operation is, that of the stripping plough, which is constructed with a narrow sole and mould-board, that, taking the soil from the potatoes, it may go very near them, and leave the earth in a ridge exactly in the middle. If the season is moist I allow it to remain in that state for a week, or perhaps more, but if very dry, they are covered up again in a few days; previously to which, I harrow this ridge of earth with a harrow of the description above mentioned, but narrower, which breaks the clod, and levels it for throwing up equally by the double mould-board plough. When the potatoes are pretty far advanced, and it is time to give them the last covering, I cause the stripping plough to pass through them again, taking a furrow from the drills at a distance not likely to hurt

1

their roots, deepening the furrow and raising the mould, which being harrowed is again thrown up as high as possible; and when such weeds as spring up amongst the stalks are pulled up, I send men with shovels to mend any spots where the earth has not been laid up close enough by the plough, and so the work is finished."

As the remainder of this ingenious gentleman's observations are well worth notice, I shall give them, in order to complete this subject:

"In taking out the potatoes at the end of the season I have tried various methods, but have never been able to do it so much to my satisfaction as by using a plough of my own construction with two mould-boards, which I shift alternately from one side to the other, throwing the potatoes always one way, both going down one row and returning up another. With this plough and a small harrow which accompanies it, I find I can take them out sufficiently clean, and more expeditiously than by any other mode I have seen. I cannot say with certainty what quantity of potatoes I use for the seed of an acre, having never paid much attention to it; the quantity must always depend on the size of the potatoes used, as large ones will not go so far as a smaller kind. A considerable part of the seed I used last year consisted of the eyes scooped out, instead of cutting; and having found them to answer, I design to plant no other sets hereafter. For seven months past, I have directed that all the large potatoes used in the family should have the eyes taken out; and by these means I expect in the spring a large quantity of seed of the best kind, as I esteem those taken from large roots preferable to those from small ones."

Seed used. The lazy-bed method requires more seed than the drill; Sir Charles Coote says, that when the latter is employed, half the quantity of seed will be sufficient, and this opinion accords nearly with the information I received in the whole course of my tour, the proportion being, according to some, as 12 to 20.

Of the sort. The potatoe is a plant which, when propagated by seed, throws out such uncommon varieties, that it is almost impossible to describe them. Hence it happens, that though a sort may be excellent one year and generally employed for seed, there is no certainty that it will continue good, or that a totally different kind, and perhaps one before unknown, may not be produced in the course of a few years. Many names, therefore, have been given to potatoes, according to their nature and qualities, Sir Charles Coote, who complains of the sort used in Armagh, says: "In Munster, such potatoes would not be stored for the food of man ;"* but it is not improbable that this inferiority is to be ascribed to the soil. In Down, Mr. Dubourdieu could enumerate twenty or thirty different kinds.+

Diseases. The potatoe, in common with all bulbous roots, is found by experience to decay after a certain number of years, " ranunculus in twenty-five years, anemone

* Survey of Armagh, p. 193.

+ Survey of Down, p. 102.

in fifteen, and hyacinths in twenty-six years ;"* at the end of which period no art or pains can preserve them; in the potatoe, this natural decay is called the curl; it is of course common in Ireland as well as in England; Mr. Dubourdieu states, that it does not occur so rapidly in potatoes which grow on turf bogs. "Turf bogs and moory grounds," says he, "seem to possess the quality of preserving potatoes from degenerating, as well as that of throwing out considerable crops; and in this county, where those soils are frequently used for their culture, the curl is little known, and many applications are made for a change of seed from other parts where this advantage is not known."+ In this statement, Mr. Dubourdieu must, I think, be mistaken; for although turf bogs may preserve this root longer than other soils, their final degeneracy cannot be prevented.

Mr. Tuke, in his Survey of the North Riding of Yorkshire, adverts in a particular manner to this disease in potatoes, which is so common in that part of the country; and remarks, that he never found it to take place, when potatoes brought from America, which, in fact, is an introduction of a new stock, were used as sets. I must here observe, that the failure of potatoes in the course of a few years is occasioned, in all probability, by the common practice of cutting for sets the smaller or inferior stock; a method directly the reverse of what is pursued in the cultivation of other vegetables, the best being always chosen for the purpose of propagation. I have heard that those who use the best potatoes for sets, have not so much reason to complain of the degeneracy of the plant; and this opinion is confirmed by Mr. Christy.||

Taking up. According to the lazy-bed method, this is always done by digging over the land, and gathering them into baskets; those which have been planted in rows are, for the most part, turned up by the plough; but even in this case, the same expense is incurred of gathering them into baskets, and as many are left in the ground, I much doubt whether this plan is attended with advantage.

Preserving them.-The method of preserving potatoes depends very much on the quantity; in general they are stored up by the poorer classes in their cabins, and sometimes are left piled in the fields where they grew. This practice is much more frequent in the south than in Connaught, and other parts of the north. Sir Charles Coote mentions one plan, which, in my opinion, is worthy of attention. "Turf bogs," he says, " are remarkable for yielding excellent crops of potatoes, and soil good for preserving them, for which reason, a potatoe-pit, lined with turf, is esteemed preferable to straw; the surface sod, which has the soft grass and herbage well withered and dried, is the best for this purpose."§

The advantage of this method is confirmed by the account of the Rev. Mr. Dubourdieu, who says, potatoes are "generally kept in heaps in the fields where they

* Madox's Florist Directory, p. 91. + Survey of Down, p. 105.

Tuke's Survey of the North Riding of Yorkshire, p. 151. || Survey of Down, p. 103.

Survey of Armagh, p. 196.

are covered sufficiently deep to prevent frost from penetrating to them. Straw is often placed next to the potatoes, to assist in keeping the moisture from hurting them; but the best thing is a thin sod, such as houses are covered with before the thatch is put on. Turf-bog resists the rain and frost better than any other covering."*

In regard to the means of preventing the bad effects of frost, the observations of Mr. Townsend seem of some importance :-" It may be useful," says he, "to know, in case of being surprised by a frost, that the safest way is to let them remain in the ground until it is past. Much of the injury done in the year 1807 arose from digging them in the frosty weather. Very few of those which were allowed to remain suffered much injury. An effectual mode of preservation is, to add fresh earth from the trenches; if this cannot be done, it is better to do nothing."+ JULY 24th, 1808.

potatoes, cost £12.

up, 1£. per acre.

MEATH. KELLS.-The seed, rent, and labour, for an acre of
The expense to plant them, £1. 11s. 6d.; and to take them

AUG. 10th, 1808. Calculation of the expense of an acre of potatoes at the seat of Lord Granard, in Westmeath:

But if planted with the spade, £1. more must be added.

The produce on the above acre equal to forty sacks, of twenty stone to the sack. AUG. 12th, 1808. WESTMEATH. RENNELA.-Expense attending an acre of

Produce of the above acre, 50 sacks of 20 stone per sack, and 21lbs. to the stone. If sown in drills, the quantity of seed used is less, in the ratio of 25 to 40lbs.

* Survey of Down, p. 106.

+ Survey of Cork, p. 198.

SEPT. 11th, 1808. FERMANAGH. CASTLE-COOTE. Expense of an acre of

Ocr. 9th, 1808. GALWAY. LOUGHREA.-Mr. Burke has reclaimed mountain land by paring, burning, and then sowing it with grass seeds. It is now good meadow. Sells "grass potatoes" at 6 guineas per acre, which is lea land, prepared for the cultivation of them by ploughing. Though Sunday morning, the people were universally employed in carrying in their crop, and in mowing grass. Tythe of potatoes taken here at six, seven, and even ten shillings per acre, collected, also in kind, and “canted” on the premises.* The tythe of flax as much.

DEC. 2d, 1808. TIPPERARY. GRANGE.-Potatoe land lets here for from eight to ten guineas per acre. The tythe from 12s. to 14s. Forty-two men dig an acre; twelve girls and eight boys are sufficient to plant it; twelve men are required to shovel it; twelve women are employed to weed it; and the potatoes are dug up by thirtyeight men. Forty barrels are considered a good crop.

DEC. 24th. WEXFORD.-If potatoes be taken up too early they want consistence, and do not come to that degree of hardness which conduces to their preservation. JAN. 23d. 1809. WEXFORD. CASTLEBORO.-Potatoes answer best in drills, and require only one-third of the usual manure. This method is now universally adopted. In Munster, better crops are obtained by burning than by any other process. Potatoes grow here in land which has been limed, without any dung.

MARCH 1st, 1809. WICKLOW.-The people employed in planting potatoes on lea ground, in beds. After the dung is spread out, the sets are deposited; trenches are then made, and the earth dug up from them is sufficient to cover the beds. Potatoes planted in this manner are never injured by the frost. Early potatoes are much cultivated in this county near the sea-coast, as the frost and snow there are seldom of long duration. Mr. Symes plants his potatoes early in April. The poor people do not plant till May, never beginning till a certain Saint's day.

APRIL 3d, 1809. TIPPERARY.-Mr. Grady says that the tythe of potatoes in Connaught is sixpence for an enclosure, whether large or small. No tythe is paid for hay. A difference is made between corn put in by the spade, and that cultivated by the plough; the tythe of the former belongs to the rector.

L