The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-03-19 00:00:00

agricult um

CULTIVATION OF TIIE POTATO.

The cultivation of this crop increases, notwithstanding
the risks to which it is liable. The past autumn, all
°Ter time Smith of England, has been most &antrum
for the Potato crop ; but the great aistkesism Which has
attended Regrowth elsewhere, is too great an encourage-
ment to proceed with its cultivation to be resisted. The
extent of the crop now is proboldy about 280,000 or
re woes in England, 150,000 acres in Scottontl,
aed 1,200,0011 acres in Ireland. in Scotland, we hear
of 8 to 12 tons 'ger acre having beeu obtained, and sold
at LI per ton—the disease having had hardly any
influence in the North. In Ireland it was rather noire
macre than it had lath rly been, while all ever Southern
and Midland Engine& the season of 18410 was very
bad isideurl. it has berm recommended rather to avoid
the application of rich manures, and IsSI to diacourege
luxuriant gtowth, under the feeling that the plant
was thin, made -the more liable tediums*, and it was
better to have but half a moot of sound potatoes
than to haven heavy bulky crop with the rut in them.
The &s-am is however tor far capricious and dependent
on the weather, that our roseninewlation rather is to
try for Cu large a crop to. joraaible ; and, using whatever
pre:mutton against the iii ease may lie in your power,
to accept the result, whatever it may be, along with a
heavy crop, which you are sure to have if you choose •
prolific sort, and grow it in • rich soil, liberally teatoured.
Amen.; the .•llts svli hi ormy la. :moot,, otommie I for
field culture, we toy meatiest 'lege:int, Etakes,
mahoya„ Early Shawa, IVellaigtoits Ferty•folois.
, As to the Matamstiremi lased for time crop theme is none
I like farm-roll dung : and a dressing of 2 or 3 cwt. of
I guano at the time the points are c ..... iug through, and
leen, the first bowie.; of the laud, it as likely to
produce a good crop a• any that can be name& Super-
phospate of lime, wood ashes and soot, are also good
dressings for potatoes; and some !Niko iosenta hare
indicated the value as a top dressing of sulphate oh
Magnesia, (Epsoin salts) at the rate of about 1 cwt. per
acme. Ibe hors, cultivatoot of the po:ato after, lry
autumn waiters and the use of grubber and harrow in
aprist,r, the laud has been rustle clean and brought to
good tilth, consist in first up the land as fur
Swedes in rOdge culture, then the citing on the thnig
and spreading it in the drills. The sets, which should
be small whole potatoes, are Net on the dung at intervals
of about 10 inches spirt ; and 14 cwt. per acre will
generally be needed for this purpose. This is done
early in Atoll ; they arc covered lov splitting the drills,
and a ridge of cnrth is thee heaped over the iew of sets.
This is partly le‘elied by the light harrows before the
plants come through ; awl if they mower early loud in
cold weather, it is well to rover them up again by
the double niould-bo3rd plough. The boric-hoc is
used to cultivate the intervals betw,eo the rows
and men hack the spaces between a,: plaits iu the
rows, which are then cat thtol up by the plough. The
entp is said to be in none degree protected fromn the
disease by covering them deeply with earth. It is said
that tubers covered by a sufficient depth of earth have
net cc been known to be diaeased. The removal of the
crop ou the withering of the leaf is dune by spade,
plough, and harrow, or by potato digger. This last is
the cheapest anti mmt eflicieut tool for the purpose.
Two hours' work daily with two homes, will thus I
scatter enough of the tubers on the surface to
keep eight or ten women and chddren picking
up the potatoes, which should be gathered I
into baskets, separating the main crop, the seta for next
year's planting, and the waste, rotten, and smallest front
each other, these last being ateamed for use in the pig
sty e. lly fair cultivar on good soil, sort 1 tens of
marketable protium may be Lad—while a full crop
would yield double Mho redirect, and at present prices
no CrOII is re profitable. There is, however, on the
other she, the risk If • rotten cm,, worthless whatever
its quantity may he, awl this will always suffice to
check the cultivation of tie plant, solar as to maintain
a generally profitable price.