"Various plans," he writes, "such
as quick lime, layers of ashes, kiln drying, exposure to the air, and
ventilation have been suggested, to obtain dryness. Most of these are
utterly futile, as beyond the general means and comprehension of the
people." He then gives a simple plan of ventilation which was within the
reach of every peasant. It was, to make an air passage under the whole
length of the potato pit, and to have one or two vent holes, or
chimnies, on the surface of it. The next thing to guard against was
frost, which always descends perpendicularly. This being the fact, the
only thing required was simply a sod to place over the chimney, or vent
hole, every night, or when it might be raining hard, to keep the
potatoes dry and free from frosting. His second important suggestion
was, to save seed for the coming year--a point, strange to say, that was
never sufficiently attended to throughout the whole of this calamitous
time, though occasionally spoken of. He says truly, that the vitality of
the potato being at the top, where the eyes cluster, in preparing to
boil the meal of potatoes each day, the tops ought to be out off and
preserved for seed. In doing this, carefully and sufficiently, the
quantity of the edible portion of the potato lost would be the merest
trifle.
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