The counties into which the culture and use of that valuable root, the potatoe, was first introduced, and in which it is still grown in the greatest perfection, are Lancashire and Cheshire: in the former, about Altring ham, and in the latter, about Frodsharn. Potatoes are also grown to a considerable extent in Yorkshire, par-. titularly on the warpland, or the soil on which the sedi ment of the liver is permitted to be deposited, Cumber land, and Cornwall. Their cultivation and use, however, are less extensive and common in the western counties, than in any other part of the kingdom. On the light soils in the low parts of Wales, they are commonly grown. They are planted in the months of April and May, generally in rows; horse-hoed and weeded by the hand while growing, and taken up in the month of Oc tober, either by the plough, or by a particular kind of fork. The produce varies from six to ten tons. They arc used as a preparation for wheat, instead of a fallow. In Lancashire and Cheshire, however, they are planted on lands broken up from grass for the purpose.
The county of Norfolk was, for a long time, almost exclusively remarkable for the great breadth of turnips sown in it, and for the judgment, skill, and success, with which they were cultivated ; but at present this most use ful and valuable root is grown in almost every county in England, in a greater or less degree. In a superior man ner, however, and to a greater extent in Norfolk and Northumberland, than in any other county. Perhaps there are fewer turnips grown in Cheshire and Lanca shire, in the north-west, and in some of the south-west ern counties, than elsewhere. In the north part of Nor thumberland, they are almost universally drilled. The drill husbandry is also used with respect to them par tially in other places; but by far the most common mode of sowing them, is broad cast. They seldom suc ceed any other crops, except wheat or oats, though in some counties they are sown after barley and pease. It has already been mentioned, that on light soils (on which they are almost exclusively grown) they are substituted for naked fallow. In the north of England, the common time for sowing them is June ; but in the southern coun ties, they are seldom sown before July. They arc care fully hand-hoed while growing ; and if drilled, they arc also horse-hoed. They arc used for fattening sheep or cattle, but principally the former. About twenty years ago, a species of turnip, called rota bags, or the Swe dish turnip, was introduced into this country. It is now cultivated in almost every district where the common turnip is grown. Rape is cultivated, either on account of its seed, to be expressed for its oil, or as a green food for sheep. With the former view, Yorkshire and Lin
colnshire are principally distinguished for its growth: as food for sheep, it is cultivated to a considerable extent in the southern and south-western counties, as well as in Northamptonshire, ,Leicestershire, &c. It is seldom grown, for either porpose, to the north of Yorkshire, or in the western counties. Cabbages, as food for cattle and sheep, have been partially cultivated for several years; but their cultivation does not seem to be extending. Suf folk, Leicester, and Lincolnshire, are the counties where they are principally grown. Nearly the same remark may be made respecting carrots. They have been long cultivated to a considerable extent, on the sandy soils of Suffolk, (where, according to Mr Young, there is a greater quantity of them than in any other part of Eng land,) but it is only within these few years that they have been applied as food for live stock. Formerly the car rots of this county were exclusively sent to the London market. They arc cultivated, as a farm crop, scarcely in any other county besides Suffolk, if we except Wor cestershire, where Wolverley sands have been long fa mous for the growth of this root, as well as for carrot seed.
The following crops are in general confined to a very few parts of England. Canary seed is scarcely seen any where, except in the Isle of Thanet. Saffron, which was formerly cultivated in various parts of the kingdom, is now grown almost solely between Saffron-Walden in Essex, (which takes its name from this plant,) and New market, in a circuit of about ten miles. Another singu lar product of Essex is a kind of treble crop of corian der, carroway, and teazle ; the two former on account of their aromatic seeds, the latter for its prickly heads, used for the purpose of raising the nap on woollen cloths. Teazles are also grown in some parts of the West Ri ding of Yorkshire; but neither there nor in Essex to nearly their former extent, in consequence of their use being, in a great measure, superseded by machinery in the woollen manufacture. Madder and woad are grown, though not to any considerable extent, in the chalk hills of Surrey near Bansted, and in West Kent. Mustard, in Durham, near Wisbeach in the Isle of Ely, and in some parts of Essex. Liquorice, principally near Ponte fract, in the West Riding of Yorkshire. A few medicinal plants are grown in this country : Nearly 200 acres of camomile in Derbyshire ; and a considerable variety of them about Mitcham in Surrey, of which the most im portant are peppermint, pennyroyal, savin, angelica, horehound, camomile, wormwood, hyssop, poppy, laven der, and roses.