Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, first edition - Volume I, A-B.pdf/94

 66 AGRICULTURE. quently the hoeing can be performed more perfectly, and the land fhould have a ploughing before winter, efpewith lefs expence. M. Chateauvieux likewife tried the ciallyif the foil be not very free and open. If dung be lucern in Angle beds three feet wide, with Angle rows ; neceffary, the proper time for laying it on is before this in beds three feet nine inches wide, with double rows ; ploughing. When the potatoes are to be planted, which and in beds four feet three inches wide, with triple rows. may be done any time in March or beginning of April; The plants in the Angle rows were Ax inches afunder, the land muft again be ploughed in narrow furrows, and and thofe in the double and triple rows were about eight the potatoes dropped into every fecond furrow. But if or nine inches. In a courfe of three years he found, that the land be open and very loofe, they may be dropped a Angle row produced more than a triple row of the fame into every furrow; and as the plough opens the furrow length. The plants of, lucern, when cultivated by for the fecond row, it buries the Arft row at a proper tranfplantation, Aiould be at leaft Ax’inches afunder, to depth. The furrow fhould not be very deep ; and two allow them room for extending their crowns. horfes are fufEcient. It is better in this cafe to make He further obferves, that the beds or ridges ought to the horfes go a-breaft than in a, line; becaufe, as one of be raifed in the middle; that a fmall trench, two or them only goes in the furrow, the potatoes are not fo liable three inches deep, fhould be drawn in the middle; and to be hurt or difplaced. This method of planting them that the plants ought to be fet in this trench, covered by the plough is greatly preferable to the dibble or plantwith earth up to the neck. He fays, that if the lucern ing-ftick. be fown in fpring, and in a warm foil, it will be ready When a fmall quantity is intended to be cultivated, for tranfplanting in September; that, if the weather be they may be planted with the fpade. A fmall crofstoo hot and dry, the tranfplanting fhould be delayed till trench or furrow fhould be opened with the fpade at the October; and that, if the weather be unfavourable during end of the ridge. Into this furrow drop the potatoes both thefe months, this operation muft be delayed till fpring. at proper diftances ; and, in making the next furrow, He further diredts, that the plants ftiould be carefully the roots laid in the Arft will be covered in the fame mantaken out of the nurfery, fo as not to damage the roots; ner as is done by the plough. that the roots be left only about Ax or feven inches long; According to the diftance of the rows made by the that the green tops be cut off within about two inches of plough,, the diftance of the plants in the rows fhould be the crown; that they be put into water as foon as taken regulated: One plant in a fquare foot is fufficient to alup, there to remain till they are planted; and that they low them to be properly hoed. When planted in every fhould be planted with a planting-ftick, in the f^me man- fecond furrow ploughed narrow, the rows will be about ner as cabbages. 12 or 14 inches afunder. The plants may he placed at He does not give particular diredtions as to the times the fame diftance in the rows. of horfe-hoeing; but only fays in general, that the in- It is unneceffary to harrow uhe land after the potervals fhould be ftirred once in the month during the tatoes are planted: This operation may be delayed till whole time that the lucern is in a growing ft ate. He the weeds appear, which gives the farmer an opportunity likewife obferves, that great care ought to be taken not of deftroying them without any additional labour. Tho’ to fufter any weeds to grow among the plants, at leaft potatoes be planted early in the fpring, or even before for the Arft two or three years; and for this purpofe, winter, they do not come up till May. Before that time, that the rows, as well as the edges of the intervals the weeds are far advanced; and, if they be not deftroyed where the plough cannot go, fhould be weeded by the by the harrows, the land muft be hoed. Indeed, the goodnefs of the crop depends fo much upon preventing hand. _ the weeds from coming to any height, that it is necefl’ary to hoe potatoes frequently. If the rows be wide, a Of the Culture of Potatoes. kind of breaft-hoe may be ufed to throw the earth a litThe potatoe is one of the moft ufeful roots that are tle on each Ade, by which it will be raifed about the cultivated in this country, and is raifed in a very differ- plants. ent manner from any of the other roots. It has a num- When two or three plants are in one piece, as often ber of eyes in it, each of which produce a feparate plant. happens in light land, they fhould be cleaned with tire The largeft potatoes are the beft for feed; becaufe, when hand at the root, and only one ftalk left to each plant. cut according to the eyes, and properly fown, the plants This not only gives air to the roots, but alfo prevents are not in danger of crowding each other. The plant much of the nourifhment from going into the ftalks. fends out roots in every diredtion to a conftderable di- When the hulk that contains the feed, or the apple, as it is commonly called, is completely formed, the ftalks ftance, and upon thefe the potatoes are formed. There are feveral kinds both of the white and red po- may be cut down and given to cows. Milk-cows have tatoes. They fucceed beft in a light dry foil; and been tried with this food ; they eat it very freely, and it. though there be but a fmall mixture of loam in it, if to- gives no bad flavour to the milk. lerably rich and properly cultivated, it feldom fails to The time of taking up potatoes is commonly regulated produce a good crop. But a good crop is not to be ex- by the market. But, if nothing be in view but the pedted from a ftiff wet foil, unlefs it be laid up in ridges largenefs of the crop, they ought to ftand till Odtober, fo as to make it dry, and a conftderable quantity of dung or as long as they can be conveniently taken up before the laid on to render it open. froft fets in. The moft expeditious method of taking, When the crop of potatoes is the chief point in view, them up is by the plough: Eight or nine perfons attendto