The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1848-06-10
Farming, &c.
The Potato.

affected this crop SO seriously, to the atten-
ton of all cultivators of this necessary veget-
able. We find them in the Boston Courier
ofthe 9th, communicated TO that paper by
Mr. Eben N. Horsford, of Cambridge, who
remarks that DIR. Koltsch is keeper of the
Royal Herbarium in Berlin, and an eminent
vegetable Psychologist.
Method proposed by DR. Roltsch for The protec-
lion of the potato plant, against disease. The
potato, which is an annual plant, represents
in the tubors developed from the stem, the
perennial part of plant; for while the dura-
ton of its development is analogous to TINT
of ANIMALS, its sections coincide exactly with
those of dicotyledonous shrubs and trees.
The potato plant differs from all those
plants which are cultivated for economical
purposes in Europe,und can only be compar-
red to those orchideous plants which yield n
lsaIep, and which are not cultivated among
us.
The tubers, both of the potato and of the
salep plants, are nutritious, and agree in this
that in the cells of the tubers, grains of starch
with more or less aZotized mucilage, are col
lected, while the cell walls possesse the re-
markable property of swelling up into ielly.
and thus becoming easily digestible when
boiled in water.
But while the TUDOR of salep contains only
one bud or germ, the potato usually develops
several, often many germs.
The potato plant, like all ANNALS exerts
IT'S chief efforts in developing flowers and
fruit. Like all ANIMALS too, it has the power
OF shortening this period of development,
when the power ofthe roots is limited; and
also of lengthening it when the extent and
power of the roots are increased.
We observe in nature, that plants with fee
bly, developed roots. often have weak. sick
ly aspect, and yet come 10 maturity in flower
and fruit sooner than stronger individuals,
well furnished with roots.
In perennial plants we observe q second
effort, which is directed towards preparing
and storing the nutritious matter, for the con-
sumption Of the plant. The preparation of
,this nutrment is effected by the physiology
cal action of the leaves, under the influence
of the roots The stronger and larger the
former are, the more is this preparation of
food delayed.
The nutritious matters are stored in tn @
,colored stratum of the bark in shrubs and
trees, and ia the tubers in the potato and sa-
Ilep plants. Not only, however, the nutrient
matters, but also the cells owe their origin to
,the physio logical action of the leaves.
On considering these things it follows that
the potato plant require more care than is
usually devoted TO it. Hitherto the whole
cultivation consisted in clearing off weeds,
and hoeing up the earth round the STEMS
Both ofthese measures are indeed necessary.
but they are not alone sufficient-for the
plant is cultivated, not on account of its fruit,
hut for the sake of its tubers, and the treat
ment should be modified accordingly.
The chief points to be attended to, with
view 10 the attainment of the object, namely,
the increase of tubers, are
/. To increase the power in the roots, and
2. To check the transformation which &C.
ours in the leaf.
We obtain both ends simultaneously, if in
the 5th, 9th and 9TH week after setting the
tubers, and in the 4th and 9Th week after
planting our germs furnished with roots or
at Il time when the plants reach the height
of six to nine inches above the soil, we pinch
off the extreme points of the branches or
twigs to the extent ofhalfan inch down wards
sand repeat this on every branch or twig in
the 10th and 11th week, no natter at what
time of day.
The consequence of this check to the de =
Veopment of the stem and branches, is slim
ulus to the nutrient matters in the plant in
the direction of the increase, both of roots S'of
the multiplication of branches of the stem u
}bove ground, which not only favors the row
,er of the root, but also strengthens the leaves
and stalks to such degree, that the matters
prepared by the physi illogical action ofthese
parts are Increased and applied to the fnrma-
Ssien of tubers; while at the same time, the
Sdirect action of the suns rays on the soil is
prevented by the thick foliage, and thus the
drying up of the soil and its injurious conse-
-quences are avoided.
The checking of ira nslormaton in the
leaf is equivalent to the interruption of the
natural change OF the leaves into calyces, cor
ALA, stamens and pis;ils, which is effected ut
the expense of the nutrient matters collected
in the plant; and these, when this modifica-
ton of the leaves is arrested are turned to
recount in the formation of tubers.
Led by these views, made, in 1915, ex-
periments on single potato plants, carefully
marked, by pinchng offthe ends Ofthe branch
~es. They were so readily distinguished, in
in their subsequent growth, from the plants
larger aud darker foliage, that, in truth, no
marking was necessary.
The produce from the plants oftubers was
abundant, and the tubers were perfectly
ihealthy-while the plants next them, which
had not been so treated, gave uniformly less
produce, AT the same time the tuhers were
rough on the surface, and in many instances
attacked with the prevailing disease. This
experiment was incomplete, and did not give
a positive result, but it was yet encouraging
for me.
In the middle of April, lS47, an expert.
,ment was made on a low-lying field with the
round white potatoes, generally cultivated
here-a variety which had not suffered much
from the disease which first appeared here
in 1S45. The potatoes were planted in the
usual way by an experienced farm servant.
After wedding them in the end of May,
renewed my experiment. by pinchjpg off the