OF SCOTLAND.
573
as much, in rent, seed, and labour, as the full market valueof the produce. But, as potatoes are an indispensable neces-sary of life, and not to be got for money in many countryplaces, the people are under the necessity of cultivating them,and to make the best bargains they can with neighbouringfarmers for the ground on which they are planted.
From what has been premised, it seems needless to enterupon a detailed account of the mode of cultivating potatoes,as no valuable information can be derived from what onlyforms a mere incident to the system of Scotch husbandry.
]. The quantity of land intended for potatoes is selected,according to conveniency, from any part of the tillage landof the farm, avoiding wet places, or such as are of excessivelydry, gravelly, or sandy soil. Loamy and sandy soils are alwayspreferred where potatoes arc much cultivated.
2. The universal mode of growing potatoes in the best ma-naged districts, is in drills, as described below.
3. The land gets one ploughing after harvest, with the viewof making it mellow, by the influence of the atmosphere du-ring winter. It is cross ploughed in spring; and gets, or oughtto get, as many ploughings and harrowings as are necessaryto reduce it into fine tilth, and to remove couch and other vi-vacious roots.
4. After the land has been effectually cleaned and reduced,it is formed into hollow drills and ridgelets, and the dung islaid on and spread, in the same manner as already describedfor turnips. The sets are laid, by hand, upon the dung, inthe bottom of the hollow drills, at various intervals, from fourto eight inches; the ridgelets are then split open by the plough,to cover in the seed.
5. The sets are commonly cut, seldom whole; though someprefer the latter, as giving in their opinion a greater produce:In this latter case, the intervals between the sets arc larger,and the quantity of seed more considerable.
6. The sorts or varieties mostly cultivated, are the roundwhite; the long kidney shaped white, with a dash of red atone end, called red-nebs, or red-nosed kidneys ; and a round