Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1841-05-24
AGRICULTURE.
POTATO CULTURE.

The greatest crops of potatoes on record are
those grown by General Barnunl, of Vermont
which reached from 1900 TO 1900 bushels per a.
ere and he gives it as his opinion, that in good
SOIL and with his mode of culture, from 500 to
900 bushels per acre may safely be calculated
upon. The reports OF the Agricultural Societies
OF our country show that from 500 to 700 bush
els per acre. are not uncommon. Mr.. Bache of
WeIlsborough, Pennsylvania, in 1889, raised 600
TO the acre, and the crop OF Mr.. Morris. of Cata
raugus, NJ Y. fell but little short. The average
crop in the country cannot we think he estimated
at more than us to $50 bushels, the influence of
the seasons being more felt in this crop than ma
ny others. \
The methods of planting are various. Gen..
Barnutn's mode, after a careful and thorough
preparation of his land, is to plant in drills, %
inches apart, and the sets in the drills 10 inches
from each other. The drills are kept clean hut
Tue earth is hllled around the plants only once in
the season; as no considers there is much danger
OF disturbing no young ~ e-ss by iemoring tho
earth, or causing the fornafS. Of new shoots or
tubers by repeated hoeings or hngs The Sc,
cret OF his great crops appeared to consist in his
bringing rich fresh earths, from the barn yard, or
the mould deposited in swamps, and giving each
hill shovel full, Dis top. dressing. He does this
with the aid of horse and Cart the horse and the
wheels passing between the rows.
We have seen very. good potatoes grown by
simply dropping the seed on a clean turf, and
spreading over them a Covering of straw six or
eight inches in thickness. The straw must be
evenly placed, and if moved by the wind before
1t gets settled together, which it will soon do, it
must be carefully replaced. This covering of
straw keeps the surface moist, and the grass can
not spring up through it, and in the fall the pota-
toes are found on the surface of the turf and per-
ieclly clean when the straw is removed The
danger in this mode OF planting would oaam to
te in very dry season, which is frequently fi,sl
TO the crop; and heavy crop is rarely in this
way produced
In the Monthly Visitor, for February, $780, is
an experiment with potatoes, which was emin-
emily successful, and deserving of notice. In the
spring OF 1889, MIR. Whitney, of Craftsbury, w.
broke up piece of green sward narrowed il
thoroughly, carted upon it manure from the yard
at The rate of ~ loads to TIE acre, cross poughed
It, narrowed II again, and planted it in the usual
manner in hills. AT The proper blowing be-
tween the rows, the piece was well hoed, and at
The proper time was repeated. In the fall he dug
from this piece at the of 300 bushels to the
acre, which, on account of the rust, was consider
ed good yield. BY the side of this piece on
precisely the same quality of soil, manure was
carried and spread at the rate Of 80 loads to the
acre the sward was then carefully turned over,
and the burrows laid fiat with a roller. Between
every other turrow, where they Come together,
THAT ls between the first and second, and between
The third, and on,) holes two feet apart were
made with shafpened stick, about three inches
Deep large enough 10 receive the seed. Into each
hole one piece OF potato was put and the holes
filed up with mellow soil, even with the general
surface of the field. There was no further labor
! bestowed upon the crop till the digging, when
the quantity produced was little over 400 bushels
per acre. Although never hoed, not weed was
seen IN it. Before digging, the field had the ap-
pearance OF having been well hoed, the potatoes
having raised up the ground above them"
FLAX.-Ihis is one of the plants the culiiva-
ton of which is too much neglected, aad which
G Ipa nu ~ n Ot nil firm 8 Qrp
aware that cotton costs less than linen, but is it
worth as much Aud beside, is il certain the
! farmers sons and daughters will be earning any
thing TO buy cottons with II there is no pulling,
and dressing and spinning iiax We would not
he thought insenslble TO the charms of music !:
but we have dim recollection of a kind that
sounded much more like health, thrift and econ
omy, than thet OF the harp or piano, and that was
the music OF the spinning wheel Flax grows
best in cool, moist climate, and hence with us,
requires 10 DC sown early and on ground moist
but not wet. Where flax can be dressed by ma
chnery, as it can in many parts Of our country,
the ilax crop, taken in connexion with the seed,
may be considered valuable one for the farmer.
There IS no use, however, in attempting its
growth IN poor, exhausted Soils as it will succeed
10 none but those in good cordtan.-- albany Cul-
tipatoy.
TICKS on Lambs. Among the many remedies
used by farmers to rid their lambs of these nox-
ous vermin we know OF none more speedily eff
cacious in the application, than that of new rum.
1t is almost instant death to them, and far more
salutary in its effects upon the lamb, and far more
economical than tobacco or, indeed, any of The
various articles we have ever used, in our war
fare with the tick. Try it farmers Tho ex-
pense Is trivial, notexceedng forty cents at mos,
for Hook OF twenty hmbs or two cents head,
which, for speedy and eflectual remedy, that
leaves the lambs bright and sprghty, is "cdsap
enough."- Yankee Farmer.