Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1839-05-01
From the Genesee Farmer.
PRESERVING POTATOES.


There are but few vegetables cultivat-
ed which are considered of more import
ance than the potatoe, and there are but
very few which contribute more toward
the support of the human family. Wheth-
er cultivated for the table, or for feeding
stock, every thing appertaining to their
| cultivation, or to the manner of keeping
them after they are gathered, becomes in.
teresting not only to agriculturists, but 10
every member of society.
From their general use, as an article OF
| food, their quality claims the highest con-
sideration. First, the selection of the
best varieties should be attended to- and
next in importance is how to preserve
them through the year so that the table
may be supplied with them at all times in
the best possible condition.
From the month Of July till Novem-
Der, they are more commonly used imme-
diately after being taken from the ground,
and in the latter month are considered in
their greatest perfection. To keep them
| through the winter, spring, and torepart
of summer, as nearly as may be to their
condition when first taken from the ground,
is desirable. To accomplish this through
the winter is not very difficult, as it only
requires that they should be buried in
sand, in dark, temperate cellar. Light
is found to injure potatoes when exposed
to it for any length of time, materially,
and too much heat causes them to veget-
ate. The season which requires most
pains, in order to supply the table with
those of good quality, is from May till
July. J.. -
| Many farmers and gardeners, are at
4 considerable expense and trouble, to pro-
cure and cultivate early varieties, but very
few of them, which ripen previous to Ju-
ly, are considered equal to. those of good
varieties, which were raised the preced-
ing year, provided they have been care
fully kept. Two things should be con-
sidered important in keeping potatoes Tor
summer use, to prevent vegetation, and
keep them from the light.
| The latter of these is often entirely neg
| lected, and we see potatoes stored Tor sum-
mer use, in some dry loft, without the
least covering to exclude the light. To
prevent their negotiating, various methods
are resorted to, but more commonly simply
breaking off the sprouts, once or twice.
as they begin to grow, is all that is done.
Some recommend scalding them suffi-
GENTLY to kill the buds, but this l have
never tried, others cutting out the buds
with some sharp instrument; this know
to be good practice; but the following
from the Annals Of the Agricultural So
ciety of France, strikes me as being at
least worth trying. Potatoes at the
depth Of one foot in the ground, produce
shoots near the end of spring; al the
depth of two feet, they appear in the mid
die of summer; at the depth of three feet,
they are very short and never come to the
surface; and between three and five feet,
they cease to vegetate. In consequence
of observing these effects, several parcels
of potatoes were buried in garden at
the depth Of three feet and half, and
were not removed till after one and two
years.-They were then found without
any appearance of termination, and pos
sessing their original frmness, freshness,
goodness, and taste"
Thus it appears that certain degree of
heat is necessary to cause potatoes to veg
etate, and that the earth, at three feet be-
low the surface, continues below that de-
gree / should like hereafter to hear
from those who may think fit to try the
experiment.
Woold not the desired effect be produc.
ed by storing potatoes in an ice house,
where the temperature was as low as ii
would be in the earth at five feet from the
surface2 n.
RI - r.ooo E