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great care and attention, in fields of ⟨two⟩ acres, each year, by taking alternate ⟨portions⟩ of equal area in the same field; ⟨Handling⟩ the blossoms from some of the divisions, and leaving others to ripen ⟨to⟩ seed; attending in the Autumn, when ⟨the⟩ Potatoes were taking up, and ⟨measuring⟩ the produce with great care, he ⟨uniformly⟩ found the quantity increase 10 or 15 ⟨percent⟩. where the blossoms were taken ⟨out⟩ besides there being few small Potatoes in the field. He also found the quantity much improved in consequence of ⟨the⟩ crop ripening sooner than usual, and therefore not affected by the frosts, which ⟨often⟩ set in so early that the growth of the Potatoe is completely checked before it ⟨arrives⟩ at maturity: he has continued the ⟨practice⟩ for the last five or six years, on fields ⟨from⟩ four to nine acres, and considers ⟨the⟩ experiment worth prosecuting to any extent: the expence about 3s. per acre, ⟨and⟩ done by children from ten to twelve ⟨years⟩ of age.
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Frost-bitten Potatoes.
After paring or scraping let them lie in water an hour, and then boil them with a bit of saltpetre, which is said to take the sweetness quite away.
