Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1853-10-05
dNasbiugton sentintl.
REMARKS ON THE POTATO PLA MI,
Bl DAVID FERGUSON, ESQ

The following very interesting paper bv
David Furgnson, esq, was read by the Rev
Mr.. Porter, before the Kilkenny Literary and
Scientific Institution. Pretixed to il being an
engagement by Mr.. Ferguson to pay the $500
promised i'll the paper when the council Of the
Literary and Scientific Institution of Kilkenny
decide it fairly gained. The Provincial Bank
Of Ireland, Kilkenny, is nance, as reference.
The seed mentioned in the paper NAV be OBJ
,ancd from Robert Molvncux, esd, Johns
Bridge and from Mr.. Williams BRYAN, Scotch
House, Kilkenny
THE potato is only an annual. empowered hy
God with two modes Of reproductions The
one, ike the oak tree, lives only for years the
other, like the acorn, liyeth for ever. Both re-
productions are deposits from the plant differ
ent III chemical properties; lire nnd dir in
dependent Of each other, with the plant pro-
vding for, but independent Of both.
Here exhibiting . potato stalk is the plant
This stalk, with its small fibrcs, is the annual
These eight apples upon the top possess each
from three hundred to three hundred and TWEEN
ty seeds: each seed has The germ Of a plant
with seed lobrs, which perform the same Office
70 the germ that the yolk Of an egg does to the
germ Of bird, supplying it with nutrimen
until all It's parts are perfected by termination
to supply itself.
Hence the seed in the potato apple is like
the acorn Of tn" oak, the seed in the apple nt
the tree, or the egg Of hen. These ciyh,
potatoes at the bottom Of the stalk possess each
a quantity Of eyes each eve possesses the
same property ti~ n hmc that the seed or egg
OF Il hen does but the potato, like the tree and
hen, brromes aged and past bearing the oak
lives after it ceases to h',r, rs do also the apple
tree and the hen, and afsn does the potato
But the oak. the appl. tree and the hen die
from age, and why not also the potato? Has
nature made il an exception?
!" Besides, like the oak, the apple tree, and hen,
the potato has IL graduated scale of ascending
and descending life. Here exhibiting po-
tato stalk is Il plant grown direct from the
seed. Observe, the Potatoes are small, like
marbles. This stalk blo>somcd, but had not
strength to form an apple. Here exhibiting
a large stalk is another which is ono year
older. Observe the difference in the bulk Of
the tubcrs which it produced. They may be
compared to a small rgg increasing. This
stalk also blossomed; and potatoes thus grown
from seed continue to blossom up to five years
and then first begin to form apples. Here
exhibiting u stalk is plant six years DID,
which bore an apple; consequently call the
parent Of this apple a potato: the plants before
it not being able 10 perform the functions Of Il
potato ! call germs Nos. /, =, ;, and SO on, as
ccnding according to their aye.
''Now to get at the descending germ let rs take
this Jumper (now cxhibitcd.) | can trace the
history Of this kind Of potato back to the year
1918; -and | am told that from 1875 to 1885 it
was SO charged with vitality tha, il would grow
without manure in any soil. Of large sizc, and
producing l6O barrels to the. acre: but Of II
I - Ia th,n f,.
VA, the timr to take seeds from lis apples. and
have the Young rising into strength for cattle,
and the old losing strength. but becoming more
dry and lourv. for mans use.
"This Jumper, once the prince Of potatoes like
its great pro"cnitorS the larbers, kerkippins,
white Turks, red Turks. Slirprrpotato, pceler-
potato of Counaught. hlack.hull Of Kerry and
il host of others, each in their turn ruled su-
preme. They are now gone. Here is the
Jumper, the cup. Fnglisll,rcl, and Irish apple; !;
look at them. The red twelve wears ago pro-
duccd 100 barrels to the acre: ut present, in
the best land. il produces only 60 barrels:
Jumpers 10 barrels and cup, 80 barrels and
like the aScen,lin" germs. they now blossom
but cannot grow apples; consequently all these
kinds Of potatoes enumerated may be called
descending germs. See this 'liay gram show
ing the life Of the Jumper Two ingenious
diagrams, which, Of course, We have no means
Of reprsenting were here exhibited and cx.
planned by the Rev. Mr. Porter.
"'rhc first diagram shows IL" potaoc existing
for tlirty-inur wears in tire" states Of being
first, as an ascending germ in blossom for five
years, Il potato, with apples. for nineteen years; !;
and there not being any apples seen upon the
stalks for the last ten years they then become
descending germs. unable now to give any pro-
duce on mountain land, where they formerly
grew. The law laid down in this diagram rules
every potato, and the same law guides its seed ;
thus We find the plant to grow apples for nine
teen years.
"Thc second diagram shows the plant ascend
ing i'll vitality Tor ten years its longest day, and
green from five to seven months III proportion
to its age then descending, losing its vi,;,lIy
from its tenth to It's nineteenth year, ut which
period it remains green only five months, -
produces no seed Thus lhc seed supplied BY
the parent plant at its longest period must Of
necessity lie best and strongest. The descend.
ing germ Of the tenth year will remain green
only three months. and with little produce.
Hence, seed from the plant at len years is per-
feet; the other only i'll proportion to its place
in the diagrams consequently fear it is hardly
possible to procure good seed now, and qucs,
ton if ever perfect seed has been Sown. except
bv fortunate accident the belief hitherto enter.
tancd being, tln, the seed was only to give
variety Of kinds.
"Thc plan, at tran,,pIanting is rs perfect in
all its parts as the oak. the apple tree. Or the
female bird from the rsy The root performs
the same functions the plant that the stomach
does to the animal ;,l'Surls juices from the
earth and transmits them through one set Of
vessels to the leaves. which are a continuation
and extension Of til" >ainr%esscls and matter
These extend their surface for. absorption and
transmission Of air and moisture. assimiatc the
Juices, and return them through another set Of
vessels to nouri,h and enlarge the various parts
of the plant. Thus. The leaves perform the
same functions n the lungs Of the animal b..
sides giving shade to the vegetable. These
truths point out the true mode of cultivating as.
ccnding and descending germs, and also the
potato. The plant from perfect potato lives
seven months. perlrc'img its fruit before i dies.
The plant from descending germ lives only
from FIVE to three months, unable at either
STAGE to perf.ct lis fruit Therefore, when the