The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1849-02-23
0be farmer.
RnSt i'm WheaI-.CUItiVaiiO Of PO-
tntOes- Grape Vines.

t;ItOeS- Grape Vines.
We have been favored with the follow
| ing letter for publication in TIE Tribune.
lItwas written by an intelligent practical
Farmer of Western New York TO his
friend in this City, and will be found IN.
teresting to our readers generally; and
peculiarly SO to our friends engaged in
Agriculture and Horticulture;
PEoRIA, Wyoming Co. N Y. Dec 81 4a.
My DEAR SIR: You recollect how
much "Poor Richard" was grallied 10
Ihear his own maxims quoted. Lately
when telling some one my experience IN
Potato cultivation, aud recommending |
the cutting ofthem aud planting only the
but.end, not using what is called the seed
end, having only three or four eyes IN
set; and planting only one set in bllI;my
friend remarked that he agreed with that
,l-he had read it last year in the news
paper. you got that published for me
believe | also mentioned something OF
my success in guarding against the rot
II continue still in the same opinion, that
il is owing oihe atmospheric influence
and is to be counleracted, as in the rust in
Wheat, by cutting the Potatoes immedia
tely upon their being attacked. This has
been done and recommended occasion
ally by some both in Britain and this
country;but it seems neither generally be-
: lieved nor practiced. Is it because it is
; so plain a remedy. and people are, SO
; much in love with quack cures, that they
!, want some more appearance of mystery
j. for the curing of any evil that seems so
wonderful?
; In some unfortunate cases OF rust here
n few years ago, people that cut their
h Wheat Immediately seemed to lose very
r little, while those that left it to remain till
n they judged it not worth harvesting. and
r; when convenient it was set on hire as 1t
h stood So in the case of the Potatoes, we
:, have had here for years toward the time
of rpening warm showers after which
o the leaves began to spot, then the vines
u to decay and the tuber to rot. claim
} the merit of no discovery, but of watch.
g ing carefully for information and laying
h open to conviction. .... .... -
When frequently mentioned after my
q success last year that | had saved part OF
Il my Potatoes by cutting off the vines as
l. soon as saw the rot begin, l was asked
nt by some what day of the month | had
If done itl had neither watched the sun
ID nor the moon in the case, but the Pota'
ng toes, and of course my information was
Or unsatisfactory to such as had paid for the
IN Yankee secret of cutting Canada thistle'
le on certain day in Summer, thongh by
, the-by, even in this case it seems poss!
S. Bile to do much in subdung these thislle'
ne by waiting tilt they grow "holow'heart
I'd ed" soon after blossoming, and cutting
ed them before good shower that the roots
ID may be filed with moisture and rot.
"I 1t was about the end Of August las
or year that cut my Potatoes; but the ro
y" began fortnight sooner this year. ant
er upon the 10th of August cut off all thu
ri vines of the most of my pink-eyes befor
in. theP Potatoes had reached their full growth
is but, we thought, better small Potatoe
:" than no Potatoes. They were not dig
GU ged till the middle of October. Cuttin
ms seems to be better than pulling; it
n" easier; and when we came to dig thos
rs that were cut, we were persuaded tht
,h- the roots must have continued to gro
it after the operation, as we had good size
Potatoes. Indeed similar fact is gene
SO. ally acknowledged with regard to CT
Ter grain. ....
am now, after three years experienc
ing and experiments, quite satisfied that II
ke. entire killing of the vines some way, is
remedy for the Potato Rot, if done {
her soon as the decay appears on the leave
Ter! But though you were to publish this eve
in so extensively it will not be general
Sir. regarded, as it seems too much. troub
on. to watch and apply the remedy. Besic
some have had good luck"thi year,ha'
can had no rot and been at no pains. I'll
net secret of the good luck in many cases,
d; the early planting of inferior sorts {
uld light soils, where they have ripened b
late fore the rot came.
ble We have great enjoymont of a Pile
ally tiful yield of the best sorts, and hope ST
- to succeed by care and attention, if i
nis- blight come no sooner than an avera
Who of past years. ...a...,..,.... ..5. F..
eel. | would wish to say word about {
,elp cultivation of the Grape. | see sor
nav writers appear in the mist when they ire
not of it in our Agric nltural publications.
as is easily raised from cuttings, if they a
,on. preserved till Spring and then stepped
her water FIVE or six days till the buds beg
to swell. Then plant them in well digg
3ay. soil, and keep them aflerward clean.
mis-. more easily still, they may be raised fr'
Y he layers by laying down q branch W
some last years wood on it-Coveri
He this in parts TO the depth of or incl
ings will produce shoots and roots enout
YOU which may be cut off into seperate vii
ther and planted in the Fall .'.. ........
n Then, as to pruning, "a vine ought to
his pruned. Like the Peach, it be
chiefly from the last years wood. I
the young shoots of it in Spring with
blossoms start from tho eyes ofthe wo
Therefore in pruning old wood ought
s,or be taken away so as to leave. room
Ioss, the young 70 bear, and more young
nas I start 10 replace that which bears. II
III IL vine were trained with one upright sh
..;aJ and side shoots coming from il regula
h"m a it should be pruned the first Fall cutting
q L.. L.