Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1846-03-19
From the American Agricultural.
SEEDIJNG POTATOES.

Some time ago promised to give you NC
count Of my seeding potatoes If they possess no
other recommendation, they are entirely free from
the disease so prevalent all over the world. have
lately gone through NY bins continuing nearly two
hundred bushels, and after carefully inspecting
then, found ep0y one perfectly sound. My neigh
bors have not been fortunate for the last t"o or
three years. and attribute my success to my meth
Cd Of preparing the seed, and subsequent culture.
cut two eyes to set; after which they are spread
barn floor to dry for six or seven days before
putting them into the earth, and during this time,
each set is carefully examined by handling, to as
certain the fact of its drying and shrinking proper
~. Occasionally one or two soft ones are found,
which are discarded as worthless: the good sets
will always dry up and yield but little to the pres
sure Of the finger and these alone are planted. As
soon ms the vines show themselves above ground,
top dress them with slaked lime, 40 bushels to the
acre, hoeing only twice, but using the plow as Oft
en- as necessary. to keep down the weeds.
For the last three years have gone through the
same operation with other potatoes not seedlings
and have invariably lost one half Of my seed by
their not standing the drying test; but it is bet
ter to loose half the seed than half the CROP
In cutting carefully potatoe that is in part affect
ed you can remove the deceased portion, and by
submitting the seed to be dried ascertain its fitness
for propagation.
Ihave found the disease showing itself in a spot
no larger than the head of pin, and then gradu-
ally spreading over the whole poiatoc; is not this
q sufficient objection to the planting of whole roots
| prefer LIQUID to any other manure for potatoes,
and in fact for every other vegetable. My opinion
is the result of several successful experiments with
this essence but before giving them to you, will
describe the pit in which collect a.! juices and
of1al. It's six feet deep sixty feet long, aud twen-
ty feet broad, with good tight clay bottom and
stoned up on all sides. My COW Shed is on the
north side, and the doors Of the stalls and passages
incline sufficiently to allow the fluid eXcremens to
reach the pit without resistance, and the solids are
thrown in at each cleaning of the stable. The in
clinaion Of my yard is also towards this recepta-
Gle, and the wash from it | consider Important
BY means Of pump draw off the liquid when
wanted, and with a hogsheod placed on a roller,
rool and lrrgate my meadows simultaneously
Last season tried the fluid for potatoes. ! plowed
half an acre Of ground, and after narrowing it well
passed the roller over with The sprinkng apparatus
attached put about eight tons OF liquid manure
together with two bushels Of salt, then followed
aguin with the pillow, previous to planting the seed.
Notwithstanding the drought, the crop harvested
from the half acre was l70 bushels of very large
size, many of them 2 inches in diameter and
very few under inches. | neversa more even
cropin my life. For gooseberles, raspberries, &c.
there can be nothing better than manure in liquid
stale, and vines thrive better and produce much
finer fiu when it is used. In fact oplant is more
benefited by this application Than the grape. |
believe even in this country it is quite common
thing to see gardener dipping the roots of plants
intended tor transplanting, into a paste made Of
urine and clay, or any other earthly substance
When this is done all flourish and no shelterlng
from the sun is necessary.
VIM b. ODDIE.
The Meado,cs, Rockland Co. NJ y Jun. 1916.