The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-08 00:00:00

WHAT WILL THE ENGLISH COT-
TAGER DO IN THE EVENT OF A STILL
GREATER FAILURE IN THE POTATO ?
The impending scarcity involved in the possibility of a
greaterfailure still, in the potato crop.of this summer, is enough
on due consideration, to cause the most sanguine to doubt,
and the most apathetic to feel. What, then, should be
done? I answer at once, enforce the cultivation of those
other valuable keeping and nutritious roots—the carrot,
the Swede, the parsnip and the beet. One-half of the
usual breadth under potatoes would be quite enough
to speculate in. It is of little use to talk of advising
such a course with the cottager; a host of prejudices
meet you at every point. Let us hope for the best, say
some; excellent: to which I may add—let us also provide
against the worse. Had such advice been taken, and
steadily carried out, how different would have been the fate
of Ireland at this moment. The peasantry are not long-
sighted enough to think about such matters; somebodyought
therefore to think for them. Extraordinary circumstances
require extraordinary measures, and although the enforce-
ment of any particular mode of cultivation may seem a
retrograde course in the present state of society, yet I
am persuaded that it would be not only justifiable,
but the soundest policy imaginable for one season at
least. Could not our great agricultural societies do much in
oromoting the cultivation of those roots ? They oughtito
think, at the present juncture, to direct all their energies and
many of their awards to this very point. Instead of offering
premiums for large or unusual specimens, why not for one
year offer them for the greatest extent of land (intended for
arable purposes) occupied with those roots, based perhaps on
the ratio their extent of cultivation bore to that of the
potato and rendered capabl- by a proper classification of the
holders ? In carrying out such plans, I have no doubt
that most of the local societies would render much assistance,
and the landowners in their respective districts would un-
doubtedly not be last in a well concocted scheme et the kind.
The cottager should also he taught the value, or rather the
greater certainty of mixed cropping, of which he at present
knows comparatively nothing at all. The fact is, that
parsnips, beet, and Swedes, are regarded by the bulk of this
class of persons as mere cattle diet, and hence the great
prejudice against them. Of the carrot they entertain a more
favourable opinion ; merely, I suppose, through habit. To
pursue the subject of mixed cropping, it may be remarked
that by a judicious combination of crops, a saving of ground
is effected, or, in other words, by way of illustration, three
.acres may be made into four. To accomplish all this, how-
ever, a tolerably fine tilth is necessary. It can scarcely be
carried out in a satisfactory way, moreover, where that pest
of agriculture, the couch grass, abounds. In casting a glance
at the above-named roots, it may be seen that one portion of
them may be sown rather late in the spring—for instance,
the beet and Swede in the end of April. Now as far as the
matter of shade is concerned, there are other crops which, if
introduced at a very early period, would become a strong
plant—in fact, have attained three parts of their ultimate
size and perfection before such crops as the beet
Swede could at all feel the influence of their shade. Crops of
this character, which I would at present point to in a special
way, as most eligible under the present circumstances, are
the cabbage and the broad beans. Land ploughed betimes
in the autumn, tilth well reduced, and worked into raised
drills as early as possible in the spring, might receive either
cabbage or beans in the middle of February. On the raised
drills, if light uplands, or between them, if of a sound cha-
racter, reserving, in that event, the raised drill for the winter
roots. I speak not here of clay lands ; they are out of the ques-
tion, but of the light sandy brims possessing some depth, of
which there are t housands of acres in old England, adapting for
mixed cropping. Early potatoes, moreover, will alternate with
some of these root crops; and I think for this purpose they
would be best in what we call double drills, leaving a
broad space between for the horse, hoe, and working the
drills, if friable soil, with the hand hoe. As soon as the
cleaning anti soiling process was comlieted, the spaces be-
tween Tr ight be planted with ox cabbage, or with Swedes;
and the moment the potatoes were up, some Swedes dibbled
in their place. Many other modes of mixing crops might be
suggested. but room will not permit. One piece of advice I
would offer to all parties in the present year—be sure to
provide a good bed of Swedes for transplanting .
ROBERT EItRINGTON.
Oalton Park, February, 1847.