New-York daily tribune., 1843-07-01
THE TRIBUNE
Proceedings of the first Farmers Club,
held I'm the City of New York.

Board Of Agriculture by Henry Meigs, Esq, was
read before the Club at It's late meeting at the
Pacific Hotel, on the PorAro root OF IN
estimable value, when produced IN perfection ano
properly cooked altogether modern discovery,
immensely mproyed,-irom mere ground nut
of little or no consideration, IN ITS highest per
fection. 1t Is luxury, and yet how careless arc
many IN selecting and preparing them for tae
table An eating house that does not furnish t
good potato deserves 10 be deserted. lens af'o
twice tens of thousands Of our citizens are coi'
pellcd by mere business, their uptown location "'
other imperative circumstances to resort %
these eating houses and how many can oeo!
witness to the soggy, watery, unsavory, viAanous
article 100 often set before them The best meats
never can make amends for this detect NO
cook should be employed until he or she can give
evidence how potato should be cooked. we
say TO those who have charge OF catlng-hon scs-
reform. There is almost universal call for re-
formation in this particular in our eating houses
The large quantities OF potatoes winch find thelT
way to market fit only for cattle, do not hail
equal the quantity spoiled by bad cooks.
The Board of Agriculture feeling 1t TO be their
grateful duty TO use all their knowledge for the
advancement OF the first and greatest Arts
tilling the ground, avail themselves OF the pres
ent opportunity TO present 10 the Farmers OF our
Great Republic, some considerations which ap
pear TO them of high interest, on the subject OF
the Potato.
Shakespeare felt the early prejudice against tins
very important article of Human food, and IN
suatcd some strange objections to 1t. Cobbett
whose genius often led him wrong IN political
matters, died an enemy Of the potato But
this humble .S0lanum TubersSum srbtcrrGHedn
though he is, has at last carried the victory to
every dinner table Of the civilized world-and
whether honest warm hearted Ireland shall ever
gain her independence of her triangular neighbor
or not, she has given her name to the second best
bread of this lanet-thc mealy potato.
One hundred years ago, in Connecticut, ap-
prcnticcs stipulated in their Indenturcs that they
should not be compelled to eat potatoes more
truly u ball Of wax. Long continued planting
without new varieties from the seed, had rem
dercd the potato too bad to give the hogs.
1t has since been discovered that this invalua-
bic root can be produced by means of the seed,
in great variety of form, color and flavor. That
u few years continued planting OF the root. es-
pecially the same soil, will steadily dcpreclatc
them all. And it is thought that even so short
period as seven years. suifices to produce that
evil
1t is high time that we should commence
system of nurseries for the potato.
The most direct method to obtain this object
is for the Institute to offer premiums and diplomas
for best specimens Of seeding potatoes.
AS it requires three years TO produce potato
fit for the tabe-no time ought to be lost.
Ten barrels would be a reasonable quantity to
cntite the producer to premium, diploma and the
thanks Of an intelligent country.
There is no difficulty in the nursery. The
balls are easily gathered from the vine. The
planting is as easy and similar to Onion. The
same wedding and hoeing will scrve-a little
more nicely perhaps, as the first seeding Is small
and delicate.
The potatoes OF the first year are usually as
large as the Spanish hazelnut. The second year
they should be planted twice as far apart rs the
first year. The crop will be large as horse
chesnuts. The third year they should take Their
proper distance in rows. The crop wall be as
large as hens eggs. Then let the master OF the
nursery select by all manner of trial the best
kind for the dinner-table and keep them entirely
separate from all others in the field.
Whosoevcr will produce ten barrels of good,
new, sound, heart-wlio!e, well favored mealy po-
tatoes-wl be entitled to more premium more
diploma, more gratitude than if he had captured
from the enemy ten man-ofwar steamers carrying
each ten Paixhan $40 FOUNDER guns.
MeEabar of the Agricultural Committee
NEw-ioRK, June s. iG43.
have sent by my son.n-law Lieut.. Meade
to Peru for new potato growing much Ike the
Tomato-whcther he is equal to the sabteTrdnean,
rema;ns TO be seen. H. NJ.
FREE TRApE.--we find in the Montreal Trans
script, a very good illustration of the principles Of
free trade, applied to that Province under present
circumstances
TO grant free trade appears very like the bar
gain between two farmers, one of whom was re-
markablc for the goodness and the other for his
total want of fences. The latter proposed TO pas
furc in common, and thereby save great annual
expense in keeping up fences, which, after all,
when looked ct on general principles, argued the
latter could not but be viewed as unnecessary
barriers.
I he former answered. have no objection t.
allow my cattle TO run III your fcldS, when your
pasture happens to be better than mine; bat not
w,hstandlng general principles, I shall take care
that my fences shall at all times keep your cattle
from my pastures.
Not unlike this is the system Of granting free
trade to nations who still continue protective or
prohibitive duties. When their own markets arc
best, they keep their productions at home bat
when the prices are greater in foreign market
shey have no objection TO supplyit This may
be a homely comparison, but there is GOOD dca
of truth in 1t nevertheless; and all the iine.spui
theories OF free trade OF buying in the cheapcs
and selling in the dearest market, are only thco
ries, and very fallac;ous ones IS long as one o
the parties can regulate his own market by pro
tive duties on grounds directly opposed BY those
pactised by his general associates.
MAIoS GENERAL ANTHONY WAyNE-A re-