Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1848-08-03
MODEL POTATO GARDEN

interesting, and instructive, and will, no
doubt, be at'enlively read by all our sub
scIihers.
The Model Potato Garden, at Solingen.
not far from EIber6eld, in Rhenish Prussia,
is one of the curiosilies best worth seeing
in that manufacturing district |. has been
established by that interchangeable slruggler
against the difficulties Of the times, M.
Peter Knecht, whose ardor in the cause
of the poor was on this occasion stimula-
ted by family recoIlec,ions, as his GRANDPA
Their OF the same name brought the first po-
tatoes into the district of Solngen, in 1881,
from Nantes, in France. The garden is a.
bout two English acres in size, divided into
beds and borders by broad gravel walk,
which runs in the figure of square. The
experiment beds are carried in parallel Sec
tons across the centre plot, running north
and south; and they also occupy some of
the borders. The land has not been drain
ed, but the high position, and dry nature of
the climate IN summer would seem 10 rem
der that precautlon here superfuous.-
Great care is taken in turning over the ground
and pulverlzlng it as much as possible. An
alienation with vegetable crops is also OBJ
served. The manure, chiefly composed Of
house refuse, we'll mixed with clay and gyp-
sum, to fix the ammonia, is turned over fire.
quentIy during the winter, and when it is
spread upon the land, is mixed with quick
lime, which again disengages the ammonia
With this compost, ashes of wood, burnt
clay, and all other substances calculated 10
loosen the soil, may be mixed When
bones are used, they are dissolved in sui
| phrIc acid and water. Fresh stabling dung,
and bone dust have been found by the ex-
perence of the gardeners not to be good
manure for potatoes. A compost, we'll turn
ed over, thoroughly decayed and mixed en-
sures sound, and full sized root. The Sc
lection of The seed is also very essential
Not only should the soil be changed, but
care should be taken to choose only the
heal,hiest roots, which have been we'll win
tered, and, if possible, grown in ground tina,
was not dunged. The selection should be
made In the autumn, and the seed potatoes
KEEP; on moderate sized deal boxes, in dry
cellar. Amongst lhe'polaloes in the garden
there are some with very short hauIm that
are planled in rows l 1-2 feet from each
other. the long-haulmed kinds are in rows
IL feet asunder. The average produce of
The nelghborhood rs stated to be in good
years, 50 pounds, on the rood of 16 square
ieet, which is more than ten tons TO the Eng
llsh acre. What the crop in the garden av-
erages has not been ascerlained, as the kinds
grown are very numerous and very various
in yield. Near y 500 kinds of potatoes from
all parts of the world have been tried in this
as nursery for the neighborhood, or is sent
to those who know its value, even al grea,
distance. In the bad season of 1914, when
there wasa alfallurein that part of the con-
linenl, the following sorts produced in small
quantity, but preserving their quality "A
small early potato from Darlur, in Upper E.
gvpt; the large yellow Malta; the large white
Chill (rom seed; y white potato from In
termedIos, Central America, ((rom seed } a
red potato from California; dark red from
Porto Allegro, La Plata, South America !;
the large black sago potato from N ukahiva,
New Zealand, said TO be improved in New
Zealand, from the Aracacha of Peru; a
white potato from Nova Scotia and long
white from Canada partially damaged,) NJ.
knecht particularly renewing the stock from
American seed. Chill, Peru, and Porto AL
legro, between Monte Video and Buenos Ay-
res, he pointed out as the best sources but
praised the orange tawny potato Of Java,
and especially the large black, New Zea land
potato, which is both meaIy and highly
productive.