Grace, and, if well arranged, will be a saving of a large annual expenditure in the maintenance of horses. The work the engines perform will certainly be equal to that of 25 horses (or about onefourth of the total number used), costing the farmer annually for their keep, shoeing, risk, and depreciation of value from 307. to 351. each, or a total of from 7507. to 8757.

But, perhaps, the best test of the saving in the cost of horselabour, as against steam, is to calculate the expense of a deepploughing early in autumn, the ploughings, grubbings, and harrowings the following spring in preparing the land for green crops or wheat, and these I estimate at 27. 5s. per acre (though I am advised by practical farmers that that is within rather than over the regular cost), and for 400 acres the sum of 9007., showing a benefit to the tenantry within the district mentioned and an advantage in favour of steam of about 4007. per annum.

I have the honour to be, my Lord Duke,

Your Grace's most obedient servant,

Jos. SNOWBALL.

To His Grace the Duke of Northumberland.

Estates Office, Alnwick Castle,
December 30th, 1869.

MY LORD DUKE, It is now nearly a year since I reported upon the plan that had been adopted by your Grace upon your farms in the district of Acklington, Northumberland, for the cultivation of the land by steam; and as the engines and apparatus have been at work for a full year it may be satisfactory to all concerned to know the result of the year's experience. In the report alluded to, I estimated the cost of working the machinery and tackle for a year at 4941. 5s. That sum has been exceeded by 1101. 5s. 10d.; but the workmen having been taught their duties a part of the year, an experienced engineman and extra hands added materially to the wages; although this expense will not again, it is found that the estimate for labour in my first report is much too low.

occur

The

particulars of the expenses I give as follows:

The receipts for the work performed at the low basis of charge named in my report in January last are as follows:

:

It having been your Grace's desire that the machinery and tackle should be placed for the use of the tenantry at a minimum charge to cover the interest upon the capital invested, working expenses, and depreciation of value, the prices named in my last report have been adhered to, although they leave a small deficiency. During the current year I fully expect the wages will be considerably less and the work performed greater; and that, at even the low prices charged, the deficiency of the past year will be more than overcome. The tenantry all seem fully alive to the advantages placed within their reach; they have been always anxious to enter into any proposed arrangement for using them economically, and have already reduced in some cases their horse-power. The difficulties contemplated in arranging to satisfy the desire of the tenantry to have the use of the tackle when the land belonging to several was ready at the same time, have, up to the present time, been met by rules laid down by me before, and approved of at, a meeting of the tenants held for the purpose of considering them; which are as follows:

1st. The tenant whose crop is first off and ready for autumn ploughing, and who has given notice to Mr. J. Á. Clark, his Grace's manager of the plough, that his land is ready, shall be entitled to the first use of it, so as to plough at least one field, or not exceeding 30 acres, after which it shall go to the next nearest farm (provided the tenant shall desire to have it), to plough at least one field, or not exceeding 30 acres; and so on to the next nearest farm, doing a similar quantity of work.

2nd. Should more than one tenant be ready for the plough at the same time, so many as shall be ready (having given the notice before-mentioned) shall cast lots for the first use of it. After the tenant has by that means obtained the first use of it, the next adjoining tenant shall have the first offer of it; but in each case of refusal it shall go to the next nearest, so that the engines may have as short a distance to travel between farms as possible.

3rd. The tenant of the land first dry and fit for cultivation in spring to have the use of the cultivator and harrows, provided he has given the before-mentioned notice to the manager; but in

no case shall they remain longer than three days on one farm, except when the manager has not received notice of their being wanted elsewhere.

4th. Should more than one tenant have land ready for cultivation in spring at the same time, and notices as before-mentioned have been given to the manager, the tenants having land so ready shall cast lots for the first use of them. After the tenant has by that means obtained the first use of them, the next adjoining tenant shall have the offer of them, and in each case of refusal they shall go the next nearest (as before decided in the case of the autumn ploughing); but in no case shall they remain longer than three days with one tenant, except when the manager has not received notice of their being wanted elsewhere.

5th. These rules, having been adopted at a meeting of the tenants interested, held at the Estates Office, Alnwick Castle, on the 1st of September, 1869, shall not be altered unless at a similar meeting, held by notice, for the purpose of altering or amending the same.

As I understood it was your Grace's wish that a copy of my first report should be sent to the Secretary of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, it may be satisfactory to all interested in the progress of steam-cultivation that the present report should accompany it, to show the result of the first year's experience upon it.

I have the honour to remain

Your most obedient servant,

To His Grace the Duke of Northumberland.

Jos. SNOWBALL.

V.-The Potato in Jersey. By C. P. LE CORNU.
[PRIZE ESSAY.]

Ir is generally said that the potato was first introduced into Europe from North America, though by some it is reported to have been originally found in the neighbourhood of Quito, and brought therefrom by the Spaniards in the early part of the

sixteenth century.

Regarding its first appearance on British soil, some slight difference of opinion also exists. We read that about the year 1584, on the occasion of his voyage to North America, Sir Walter Raleigh, struck with its usefulness as an article of food, brought home the potato, and made known its value. On the other hand, we find the potato mentioned as having been brought

to this kingdom by Hawkins in 1565, and that it was known in Ireland previous to Sir Walter's expedition; but writers on this subject seem to agree that to Sir Walter Raleigh is due the credit of having been among the first who cultivated the plant to serve for human food. At this period it was distinguished from the sweet Spanish potato-Discorea batata-by the name of Virginian potato; this is mentioned by Gerarde, in his 'Herbal,' 1597. In the following century we find the Royal Society, at its Meeting, May 18th, 1662, taking measures to promote the planting of potatoes in all parts of the kingdom, so as to provide food for the people, should famine or a failure of corn visit the country; Evelyn makes mention of this at the close of his 'Sylvia,' but thinks little of their culture, as he says, "plant potatoes in your worse ground." In England potatoes were first extensively cultivated on the western coast of Lancashire, a locality still famous for their growth; and it was not until forty years after their introduction, that they were grown in the neighbourhood of London, and even then with no idea of their utility. In Scotland we find the potato mentioned as being, in 1732, one of the crops then in the common system of tillage; but, through some mistaken superstitious notion, it was abandoned and condemned as a sinful plant, because no mention of it was made in the Bible. It does not, however, appear that these ideas extended themselves beyond that country, or yet that they continued long there. No doubt the superstitious notions gave way as the loss of the esculent became felt, and they were for ever dispelled when the importance of the plant placed it prominently on the rolls of agricultural produce, as one of the most useful sources both of human and of animal food. With regard to the exact date of its first introduction to Jersey, we have no information other than that traditionally handed to us by the oldest growers of the present times, from whose accounts we gather that the first coming of the potato to this island must have been about the period 1772-5. In 1788 an article appeared in the Gazette of Jersey,' from the tenor of which it is clear that the potato was then taking root in this island, though it is equally credible that its earliest cultivation was only on a very small scale, in all probability rather as an object of curiosity than otherwise. To those who understand how difficult it is at any time to introduce anything novel to the farmer, or, rather, that which he has not been wont to see practised by others before him, it is easy to believe that the potato was not at once seized upon and cultivated by our farming ancestors, without at least some years of consideration. Still it would appear that the leading agriculturists of those days. were not behindhand in bringing the potato into general culti

vation, for, in 1791, we find a quantity, said to be of superior quality, offered for sale at the rate of 1s. for 40 lbs. weight.

Quayle, in his book published in the year 1812, has the following notice on the potato in Jersey, which we reproduce, as the best existing account of those times; and, moreover, because copies of the work are very scarce, and the work itself unknown to many. The writer says "Though this root is comparatively of modern introduction, not having been admitted into ordinary field-culture till within thirty years, though it has had to struggle with the favourite parsnip, and does not agree with the application of the no less favourite article of improvement, seaweed, in substance, yet the culture of potatoes is general and extending; their quality nowhere superior, and this is the only field product which is at present exported. No plant needs better tilth; on land which has previously been a corn crop the great plough is constantly employed, on grass land the spade, by which it is trenched deeply. Stable-muck, which in this country it is not usual to turn or clump, is applied at the rate of 8 or 10 cartloads, containing each about 20 or 24 Winchester bushels per vergée. Potatoes are always grown in drills, distant 1 to 2 feet, generally 1 foot 4 inches. The sort preferred is called gros-yeux, round, moderately sized, thin-skinned, white with a yellow cast. These have the valuable property of producing few potatoes of a small size. It has been observed in a good crop, that not a cabot of small potatoes were raised to a vergée. The planting is usually in April, the muck laid above the set. On this plant alone horse-hoeing or hand-hoeing is employed; weeding between rows is also practised with the small fork.

"The summer consumption of potatoes in the town being considerable, the tops of those raised at that period are given by some farmers to their cows as a regular article of food. In France also the practice seems not unusual.

in the

year.

"In 1811 an experiment was made by Mr. Le Marquand, of St. Peter's parish, to grow on the same land two crops of potatoes An early species was planted in January, which succeeded. The crop being taken up and successively carried to market in July, the ground was again drilled, manured, and planted with the common species, which produced an average crop in quantity, in quality they were watery; but no sets of a species fit for late planting were then to be procured. In these islands, where the frosts are not rigid in spring, or early in arriving in autumn, whilst there is a good market for the first raised potatoes, it is probable that this practice will be

extended.

*Two and one-quarter vergées are exactly equal to one English acre.

VOL. VL-S. S.

K