The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1849-06-22
From Tie Raleigh Star.
Something about Jerusalem Arti-
chokc>, Irish Potatoes and Tnr-
nipS.


nips.
MR. LEMAY: Looking upon agriculture
as the most useful, If not the most honora
able pursuit Of men aud looking with deer
concern on the neglect which II has hlth'
erlo suffered IN cur STATE, deem il an act
of patriotism IN him who endeators to
place i, in the conspicuous alton TO which
ii is justly entitled. Having no other end
IN view than HAT Of sincere desire to call
forth the resources of my beloved and ma
live State, and Ia induce others more gifted
than myself 10 direct their attention TO the
same end, send YOU this poor communl.
cation; for which, t 1t shall benefit only a
single human being, shall be amply re.
paid-and if il Shall induce others 10 try
the experiments, and make them known
through the medium OF your useful Jour.
nal, shall Tot have laOorcd in vain. And,
first, as regards the Artichoke; Il IS not
more than three years ago that FIRST heard
of the Jerusalem arttchuke, and having
seen il mentioned IN terms OF appreciation
10 various agricultural publications, | be.
came DESTROYS TO procure the seed, but felt
a, loss where TO apply for II. 1t at
length occurred TO me that Mr.. Weller OF
Halifax, gentleman well known as an ex.
perimental farmer and a valuable contrib.
u,or 10 The agricultural papers of the day,
would be the most likely TO have tie aftI
Gle. accordingly addressed to him a
letter 10 the winter of 1877, making the
inquiry. lie replied he could with plea.
sure supply me, and sent me per rail road
z bushels. With this planted about an
acre and a half in sandy soil such as
would WELD under the best cultivation
about 10 bushels Of corn per acre. Mr..
Weller informed me II yielded him 1000
bushels TO The acre. | presume his land
must have been far superior TO nine (Which
was not manured) as after following his
directions in planting, from my computa.
tion the Z bushels yielded abo1t 800,
which | look upon as a mighty increase,
considering the poverty of the soil. |
dog only the 10Th Of an acre very lmper,
fectly-being rather to be sure, choice
spot, intending it for seed, the produce
was IS bushels. Ny hogs were turned on
the residue. |; is most valuable subsli,
lutte for corn in laltening hogs and has
saved me this year of least $50 bushels,
which would have been otherwise given to
them. | have been in the habit Of feeding
them with corn throughout the year. with
q short respite, when in the fall they are
turned in to CLEAN The pea nut field. The
artichoke 10 lsi5, having sustained 20
hAah fsam Is, Nov. 10 the 18th Dec, and
ring which period | vas accustomed 10
give them as much corn as they could eat
After being rooted by the hogs, flushed
ap the ground late in February; they are
now, this 10Th April, from 4 TO inches
high, springing up as Il sown broadcast
ever the land, and . n now iran-plantlng
them like pola'oe sprouts. esteem them
as a real treasure 10 the farmer in this
southern country, where we experience
such difficulties m raising PORK. Now for
IRISH potatoes. OIe reason we plant SO
sparingly Of this valuable crop At the
South, i the high price Of the article for
seed, being dependant on Inc North, aud
even ~ Wilmington, so accessible to a
northern market, they seldom cost less
than : 30 TO - per bushel about the
planting season Now, as il usually takes
20 bushels 10 plant 40 acre costing from
30 10 80 dollars, few will venture largely
into the culture. To lessen the expense
therefore, Isl great deslderatum. was
this year bedding my swee, potatoes after
process | had somewhere seen when il
occurred TO me as | was abou, planting a
the same time ln.h potatoes that would
subject a small portion Of them to the
same experiment. Having made a be
bed, by placing stable mature at the bot
tom, foot thick, aud covered il wlh tive
or three inches Of mould ! placed on il ,h'
potatoes very near each other bu, not i
contact, some S1t 10 two, others whole
and covered them IN with two or thre
inches Of mould, using IN this name
sbou; half busbel or three pecks. The
came up a fortnight sooner than the tuber
planted in the usual way. Early in lh
present month, drew the sprouts, who
we're from four 10 SIX inches high, pre-
sentlng dense mass, and set them
drills, planting ab5U, the tenth of an acr'
still leaving many 10 the bed the roo
were fac when detached from the potato
aud look healthy aud Furnishing in the
new abode: Bot to relurn to statistics
the saving as to cos. is immense; Fl,
bushels, ] have no doubt, prepared tn
way is sufficient and more than SUFFICE
for an acre Of ground, and the d fsren
between > bushels and 20, to use a We
classical expression, Is not 10 be sneezed
reducing the cost from 20 to 40 d0Ila
per acre TO 6 or 7-on'y observing tn
The Irish potatoe is a more valuable CT
with US than Il ha. been repuled to be.
fad !, profitable, and have been 10 t
habl, Of planting from 3 10 barrels p
year.
Having been successful heretofore 10 I
tOfnip culture, should have failed Il
year had il no, been for perseverance.
planted about half an acre Of Ru,a ba
and ! do Of COMMON white ,urnip the /;