New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-11-08
AMERICAN INSTITUTE-FARMER'S CLUB.

TUESDAY, NOV. q 1917
HENRY l.. VAIL in the chair, JUDGE MEIGs, Secre-
tary. The secretary read paper upon the subject
of fbrous plants in which very large number were
enumerated, many of which are Indigenous to this
county, that are superior to the fiber of fax or hemp
Another paper treated upon the use of glue aud all
peletinous substances blood hoofs, horns, &c, for
manure Farmers should learn the great value OF
these substances so often wasted.
Prof MAPEs explained the reasons why these sub
stances are valuable. Glue is constituent OF all
human food and must enter in the composition OF all
grain and flesh producing plants. lie spoke, too, OF
the use of tannin particularly in the cultv alton OF
straw berries One gallon of bark liquor added to
100 gallons of water is used for irrigating IL i'm
proves both size and flavor
SoIoS ROBINSON exhibited two potatoes grown by
T. ii Matterson, of Sherburne, Chenango County, n;
" that were esteemed as fine specimens as ever had
been seen by the members OF the CLUB They are
supposed to be of the sort known as peach blow,
and old English white" Both are of the kind called
round potatoes and OF remarkable specific grav-
ity for their size. The weight OF these Is IL and Is
ounces each
Mr. Ma;terson says: send these samples in proof of
"tbe accuracy of your recent statement that potatoes
"haye not been more pentfnl of better quality for
"years piece OF ground from which, last season
-" had only about - bushels, has this year, yielded
AGO. and with no change in the mode OF cuhvaaoni
"besdes either of the samples send you is as large
" as any four dug last year. As far as know, the
"crop this year is abundant and the quality excellent
land see DO earthly reason why the citizens OF New
"York should be compelled to pay such exoroifant
"prces for this important vegetable, except the one
"you haye lately given viz the Interests OF specula
"iors."
Mr.. Robinson remarked that the place where these
grew was perhaps, 500 feet above the the seaeve
and had not been affected by drouth as much as
other sections.
From observations this year. he is satisfied that dry
seasons with late rains, in moderate quantities, are
the best for potatoes because the roots that take
the pabulum lay close to the surface lie Is IN favor
of planting large whole potatoes, upon deeply plowed
land but near the surface, and cultivated level
Never hill your potatoes. All the msnurng should
be by top-dressng, lightly incorporating the fer
tzer with the surfsce-soil The great thing Tor po-
tafoes is potash and carbon Ii Is good plan 10
mulch the land deeply after the potatoes are planted
and never do anythDg more to them. Fer seed pota-
toes add more mulching, and let them remain IN the
bil until spring Good crops of potatoes have been
grown under swingletow, upon grass sod
Prof. MAPEs-I tried an experiment by covering
the seed with salt marsh hay, upon mellow soil.
,ot a God crop. but the hay dried away and became
loo thin and all the tubers that came to the light were
bitter and unfit to eat. When the potatoes are unoer
the earth, muchng keeps It moist, and AFFORDS tne
right kind of fertilizer as II decays, and Is "asned
down 10 the roots by rains. Killing potatoes Is an
olofashoned stupid folly. Black soils, or those fuli
of carbonsceous matter are always best ior potatoes
They want nitrogen and oarbOnic acid. Inc gTeal
wesbt of these specimens indicates that they are rco
N starcb and that is what makes heavy potatoes the
most valuable. One man upon the Newark meadows
raises 500 bushels of potatoes per acre, year after
yesr All such land, when freed Of natural aeidty u
The best soil for this valuable crop
The subject of selling every kind OF farm produce
nv the pound was now taken up and an interesting
discussion entered into, though the argument was all
upon one side for all were in favor OF the measure
So,ov Ron,ysoS said he wanted no better argu-
ent than these big potatoes because mere woua De
nn fs, bope way Of measuring such 9bers SIN,
Ds '1 potato Kept Of the measure would be los, Of
seyers cents to the purchaser Some persons would
buy potatoes in sSs a1rs as s%s
s rUu,s nv The tpbers Ths however great m.-
saIs There is no rule so fair As weight tor every
tbing-parculsrly eggs and wood nVw Us1 oibsr
sell cabbage beets carrots, PsrsniPs sod many 0'ns'
coarse vegetables honesty N amy U shs. desired
to protect the poor, should s0sSt Law to eel every