Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1850-05-01
WEST BRANCH
fGG1lll(3G1
From the Maine Former.
The Potato.

Crs, which are well intended, however lhey |
may be received and used. Aud will !
first notice the potato crop, which is one
Of the grea, staples Of Maine, and By pro-
per management, ! suppose may be as
heallhful and productive as in former years.
1t is a well established law Of natural phi
Iosopny, ,ha, every thing has its nature,
and il will no, flourish well out OF lha,
which will flourish well in certain locations
and climates. So also Of vegetables.
They prosper bes, in and near The local..
lies which nature desi gned for .hem, and
will no. prosper well, when much removed.
The potato is natural 10 a high, cool
climate. al elevated situation, and a loose,
huffy soil! and lis natural constitution is
such ,ha; i, will no, flourish well. especial
" in q'ia.;ty, if much remo.ed from ns
natural habitat. This attempt 10 cultivate
il, contrary TO lis nature, which has 81
generally prevailed Tor series of years
past, has probably 50 FAR changed It's na-
,ure as 10 produce this alarming disease
called the To,, wh;rh has strongly threat,
ened TIE aanikilaiion Of the article. For
years pas:. the farmers have turned their
main attention 10 its cultivation, end The
great effort has been TO produce quantity.
20 this end they have planted largely and
manured highly, 10 force great crop; and
when near 10 navigation, have raised their
bread-stuh by an exchange Of potatoes.
This did very well so long as the article
r-UntiEue5 in such health as not TO rot.
But this unnatural mode Of culture from
year to year. cegenera,cd the root, tii. Is
constitution became so broken as 10 rro
duce the rot. Many causes have been as
signed for this disease, but no one has ye!
satisfied the public mind, and i, is now gen.
orally agreed tha; We are abou, as much
in the dark as ever.
Every effect produced is the consequence
Of the combination and operation of GER
tain philosophical causes, and we can never
rightly understand cause nor effect, till We
60 TO this source for Information. We may
set up our own rules Of wisdom against
natures laws and philosophize as much as
we please, bu, nature Will never change.
nor reward such efforts. The pon, in
which specula,ions On this subjec: have
mos, agreed, is that it is fungus, or as
semb!age OF invisible insects, forming vi
cious and corroding acids. And this is
probably the case-and the effect is proba-
lly produced in the following manner. BY
over-forcing the plant with manure, the
plant runs too mach to tops. They, grow.
ing too fas, and too large, do not contain
enough Of woody fibre 10 give them proper
strength. Consequently The stalks have
loose, feeble, sickly constitution, and are
incapable Of bearing the common vcssl-
iudes Of the climate, from hoa, to cold,
from We, 10 dry. A warm rain ensues.
and clears off hot, with scorching sun,
arcceeded by cold, chilly night. Now
look at the philosophical result. The
warm rain loosened and opened the pores.
the hot sun over heated and enieebled the
whole plant. and the cold night chilled II.
and the feeble thing took a severe cold be-
fore il could recover its natural action.
The efec; is the same that would be!aIi
man in like circumstances. Let him GO
through a warm rain, hot sunny day.
and then, unclo:hed, lay out through a
chilly night, and he comes oat sick man
Just So silh The potatoes. The leaf. the
ienderest part, fails first, then the stalk
and fnefy the virus descends into the root.
where The disease terminates, and the root
is destroy Cd Ia this way manure becomes
q deadly poison 10 q potato. When the
farmer has plenty OF other crops 10 which
manure is benefit, why should he put ii
on his potatoes, when i. is worse than
dead loss The farmer vii! ask, perhaps,
how and when he shall plant bis pota:oesf
Go and ask philosophy, that is common
sense, and she will tell you TO put them into
your turf land, and your manure on 10
your other crops.
Every farmer has piece Of turf land,
every spring. which should be turned up.
II smooth. so tha, a sleek furrow can be
turned, t1rn i, over about 4 inches thick.
Then. in the crack OF every firrow, ablui
once in q foot, Gu, out piece with the cor
ner of the hoe and put in potato. CT
piece, and cover j, or crowd the potato into
the crack, and poke the dir; over it. The
roots will run under the turf and the po,a.
i,es will make there, aad nothing more can
Ie done I'LL the harvest. when the turf can
Re turned over and the potatoes taken up
with shovel, clean and good. 10 this
way benefit viii be derived from all The
I,yhl showers through the SIMMER. they
wi, run down in The cracks. we; the po,a-