Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1828-10-21

PoTATos. In an article on the subject of
harvesting and preserving potatos, a week
or two since, we remarked that, after get
ting them in, the best method should be
resorted to of keeping them dry, and from
the frost. The Worcester Spy does not
agree with US, and hopes farmers will not
listen to our recommendation. We are in
clined to think the Spy misunderstands us
and it may be that the fault is our own. We
meant to say, rather, that potatos should be
kept from the ,cet, and this we believe is ne
cessary to preserve them well. Our impress
sion WAS and still IS, IrIaC por0sos VIII keep
longer and be more mealy if they are ex-
Guided from air, and dampness, and moisture,
which it is reasonable to suppose will have a
tendency to rot them. The old fashioned
mode was to dry them in the sun, after Dig
ging, as much as you would grass for hay,
and we believe this is still the practice in
England. Rees' Cyclopedia says, il" as soon
as potatoes are gathered they should be al
lowed to remain some days to dry, before
they are stored" But this is an errour, long
since exploded, we believe. Mr.. Fessen-
den, the editor of the New England Farm
er, whose opinionis entitled to much weight,
says, " of all the methods of preserving DO
tatos, almost any will answer by which YOU
can keep them from acater and FROST" DR..
Deane says, "caves dug in dry soil, pre-
serves them very WE'LL" In Lancashire, and
some parts of Scotland, it is common prac-
tice to dig pits in potato field, where the
soil is light and dry, and, putting in the po-
tatos, lay litter of dry straw over them.
Mr.. Mahon's method of preserving turnips,
carrots, &c. land why should it not apply to
potatoes p is as follows: -
On the surface of rery dry spot of ground. in
Wen sheltered situation, lay stratum of sand two
inches thick, and on this layer of ROOTS covering
them with layer of sand and so continue IaveST
about of sand and roots till all are laid in iv;pg he
whole, on every side, roof-like slope then cover
this heap or ridge all over with about two inches IF
saEd, over which lay good coat of drawn straw nm
ana down as matching house, in order to carTr
9D tcet and prevent its entering TO the roots then
dig wide trench round the heap. and cover The
straw with the earth SO dug up, depth sufficient
TO preserve the roots efectually from the frost.D
some people lay straw, or hay, between the law
eLs OF TOOLS, and Immediately on the top of then,
tins do not approve Of, the straw or hay will be-
come aan.p and noaidy and very often occasion the
roots to rot while the sand would preserve them
sweet and soundo ''''Ah
lna recent number of the Baltimore Amer
lean Farmer, paper of long and high stand
ing, the editor says, "potatos should he
housed IN some arg, close place, thickly COW
ereo with straw, from the air and moist,re.''
we have conversed with several intelligent
farmers on this subject and they all agree
In the opinion that potatoes should be kent
dry rather than wet.
), be 1t understood, we are not controvertinp
'ne point with the editor of the Spy. His
experience as farmer will, perhaps, enable
MIN 10 advance doctrines which we, who are