Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1846-01-17
HSiato Niseasr.

tOee, Dy Whicn so much distress has been OcCs-
stoned in ireland, Belgium, Holland. &c. As no
article is in such general usc as this nutricious
vegetable, il ia desirable that our farmers and
gardeners should be put in possession OF all the
information which relates TO its successful cul.
tivation, and certain production. The planting
season lie not very distant, and We advise such
Of our readers as wish to experiment on the
suggestions contained below. to retain this pa.
per until it arrives. and be governed occording.
ly. Tfatended to properly, millions of bushels
may be grown in addition to the usual yield.
while an entire failure would scarcely occur
"Whh respect to soil, the potato delights in
that which is moderately light and porous. which
points out the necessity Of draining oil heavy
and wet lands, II they are expected to grow 20.
iatoes. In the next place, the potato requires
frequent change of soil. and on this account,
heavy crops are usually produced on newly bro.
ken-up lands. In kitchen gardens and cottage
allotments, where the roots is grown year after
year on the some spot, this necessity is in some
measure provided for by the large quantity OF
fresh manure which is commonly used. Ex
.remely favorable sessons will counteract, to
great extent, the Disadvantages of the soil but
no man has right to expect large and healthy
crop, who plant, his seed in land exhausted by
frequent cropping, which has no, been we'll
worked by espade or plough. or which is re.
ten.ive Of cold and excess Of moisture"
With regard to seed, common sense tells us
it ought to be in the highest state Of perfection
in which it cnn be obtained. and to such perrec.
tion the writer considers the following items
indispensable -t
ii. II ought TO be whole-The practice of
cutting potatoes into -peces for seed, leaving
one or two eyes in piece, cannot be too strong.
ly deprecated, The result of repeated expert.
ments has unanswernbly proved that the pan
has nothing to recommend il but penny wise
aud pound foolish economy. II is true that
every eye possesses the germ Of perfect plant.
the same as the eye Of dahlia but every cul
tivator Of this flower knows that. although he
may get a wel.formed plant. and ha nds some
flowers. from single eye, or the cutting of q
eahia, he only gets COOL crop of roots from a
perfect tube. The grower of po'etocs wants
roots, not flowers, and to secure these let him
plant whole potatoes, and for many seasons, in.
to which the writer cannot now enter, he will
FIND it answer his purpose better than cutting
them.
20. IL ought 10 be in a state OF maimify.-
Uarpe seed is necessarily deficient Of the vigor
requisite TO put forth and sustain healthy plant.
and. as we have already shown. whatever is a
cause of Weakness, is predisposing cause Of
disease. This is as true among vegetables as
animals, and in regard TO The latter, no one ever
thinks of dispn,ing it; the potatoes for planting
| should. therefore. he selected when the stalks
have dec'yed, and not sooner.
IS. II ought to be ormedium size, and yell
formed.-The writer has found that, on the
whole, potatoes Of the size Of hens eggs have
produced the heaviest crop out of a given
weight Of seed. lie would. however prefer
sets, much smaller, if ripe, whole, and well for.
med, to pieces cut from large potatoes. The
oVergrown tu6ers should always be REJECTED, as
containing an excess of moisture; whereae the
strength Of the future plant resides In the solid
part of the root
"a. The potato should frequently be raised
direct .trom the seed contained in Ire potato
appie.-Ev.ry sort Of vegetable rropsgated in
the way potatoes are usually produced. are H..
able to degenerate; aud in proportion To their
degeneracy. they become liable 70 disease
Many sorts of potatoes once in common use.
have become completely worn out. and thei.
names are almost forgotten and the writer has
little donft that much Of the disease and failure
which every year, and in une.y,rable seasons in
PARTICULAR attends the potato crop. is owing to
sets being poh!ed which are too far removed
from the original seed. The vegetstive pruci
Pc mas become too feeble 10 give existence to a
healthy and vigorous plant; and The consequence
has been, those diseases to which there has been
a predsposition, or which the soil or season cal.
has been culated to produce. ..r7.
rs. hought 10 be soeR preserved The 5es:
Of seed may be injured by bad mana cement;
and, shhouph potatoes will stand much rough
treatment, like ell things possessing life, they
cannot be injured with entire impnnity. When
taken up, they should be exposed to the sit for
few days to dry and harden. BY which nass.s
they will he less liable 10 shoot before the time
Of paintings they should then be stored away
and efiectually guarded against frost and damp
A worse plan cannot exisl than allowing the
potatoes to shoot, and afser pnling Of shoots