One horse will answer for three carts if the distance of draught to the pits be short, by changing him alternately from an empty to a full one ; but this only applies to the Scotch and Irish system of draught by single carts and horses. The general mode of securing the crops in pita in the field is the /safest. In making the pits—improperly so termed, for the base is only sunk a few inches, and the potatoes are raised considerably in the heaps—the only caution to be observed is that furrows should be cut on all sides to prevent water from lodging or penetrating inwards, and that the earth thrown up and over them, to the depth of four or five inches, should be well beaten with spade or shovel to exclude moisture and frost. The potato-stalks, however apparently dry, should never be laid between the potatoes and the earth in these accumulations, for they soon ferment and rot, and injure all the potatoes in contact with them. Straw is at least. useless. The length of the pit depends on circumstances, hut the breadth should not exceed four feet, as largo accumulations are most liable to fer mentations.
Of Late years the potato has been extremely subject to disease, which first became apparent generally in 1845-6, when the whole crop in Ireland, the mainstay of the people's food, was lost, and a famine ensued. Since that, the same dieease luta annually reappeared, blackening the leaves before they become naturally ripe, and rotting the tubers either In the ground or In the heap : so that one-tenth to one-half the crop is lost. The only apparent means of remedying this attack, or diminishing its virulence, Is by early planting early sorts in early places, so as to obtain a ripe crop before the time (July and August) when the disease generally shows itsself, It is also said to be a palliative of this disease, if not a remedy for it, when, by earthing IT the nearly ripened crop, the tubers are covered with at least three inches deep of earth, before the period of attack. Besides this disease, there is " the curl," which is an imperfect formation, and was first generally observed in 1764, when it gave rise to various conjectures and un profitable discussions : the cause is yet unknown. One thing however is clear, that from a crop of which any part is intended for seed, all the plants affected with curl should be carefully separated before the General removal commences. The dry rot, or decay of the set, which luring recent years so fearfully prevailed in many parts of the United Kingdom, is also still unexplained as to its real cause, though the press has teemed with essays and very plausible theories respecting it. The set, though apparently sound when planted, has either failed to germinate at all and rotted away, or has feebly and partially thrown out its sickly shoots. The moat contradictory causes have been assigned : over.ripening in the preceding year; under.ripeuing ; fer mentation in tho pita; fermentation of the set in the ground when placed in contact with hot. dung (which is utterly absurd, for when
in the ground no injurious fermentation can arise); very hot weather, great drought, hot sun, cold parching wind, dry and heating manure, sea-ware, which is always damp; exhaustion of the kind from a long course of culture, contradicted by many instances in which it appears that tho produoe of the same variety—for instance the apple—has been successfully cultivated during sixty-five years without any failure; or the loss of vitality from prematurely shooting.
If potatoes have fermented in their accumulated state, they would bear obvious evidence of it., and therefore be rejected. Fermentation cannot. be the true cause in every or even the majority of cases, nor does the failure probably proceed from insects in the eyes, as has been suggested, for if so, it is difficult to account for the fact that sets from the same heap planted ts ted at one part of the day have totally failed. while others put. into the ground at another have puabed forth healthy shoots. As to decay in the land from the contiguity of fermenting manure, " How is it to be proved that the gases evolved by fermenting manure can injure the seta? Fermenting manures would rather stimulate by their warmth, and excite their growth by the aliment which their essential qualities, carbon and ammonia, supply to plants. Why do not the gaseous exhalations from rank and fermenting hot beds destroy the tender plants which are raised in them I" (Doyle'a Cyclopcedia of Practical Husbandry.') A partial remedy for dry rot is to be found in the planting of entire tubers. When the cut sets have failed, the entire tubers have resisted premature decay; whether it arises from atmospheric influence, or debility of constitution, or from any of the conjectured causes, the entire tubers resist these noxious influences, and germinate healthily and freely. All reports agree on this point : there is no risk in this case, if the tubers be sound when planted ; and it may be added, that in all stages of their grovith, the uncut tubers maintain a decided superiority, and yield a corresponding produce.
The farina of the potato, properly granulated and dried, is sold in our shops as arrowroot, or mixed with gum as tapioca, to which it bears the closest resemblance, both in appearance and essential pro perties. For confectionary the flour is so delicately white, and it is so digestible and nutritious, that it ought to be in more general use, among the children of the poor especially, in the winter season, when they so rarely enjoy the luxury of milk ; and the coat is not more than a sixth or seventh of the price of tapioca or arrowroot, if it be made at home. Few housewives are ignorant of the method of obtaining it by the use of a common hand-grater and sieve ; but for yielding larger supplies some machinery is necessary.