Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-08-17

apple look at them. The English red, twelve
years ago, produced 100 barrels to the acre
ct present, in the best land, it produces only
60 barrels; Jumpers 40 barrels, and cups 80
barrels and, like the ascending germs, they
now blossom, but cannot grow apples; conse-
quently all these kinds Of potatoes enumerated
may be called descending germs See this
diagram, showing the life of the Jumper
1.-TWO ingenious diagrams, which, of course,
we have no means of representing, were here
exhibited and explained by the Rev. Mr..
Porter.)
The first diagram shows the potato existing
for thirty.tour years in three states of being
FIRST, as ascending germ in blossom for FIVE
years; 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 produce 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 appleSfor nineteen years.
The second diagram shows the plant ascend
ing in vitality for ten years, its longest day,
and green from five to seven months, in pro-
portion to its age; then descending, losing its
vitality, from its tenth to its nineteenth year,
at which period it remains green only five
months, and produces no seed. Thus the seed
supplied by the parent plant at its longest Pc
Rod must of necessity be best and strongest.
The descending germ of the tenth year will
remain green only three months, and with lit
tie produce. Hence, seed from the plant at
ten years is perfect; the other only in pro-
portion to its place on the diagram; con-
seouently fear it is hardly possible to pro-
cure good seed now. and | question if ever
been sown, except by fortunate accident; the
belief hitherto entertained being, that the
seed was only to give variety of kinds.
The plant at transplanting is as perfect in
all its parts as the oak, the apple tree, or the
female bird from the egg. The root performs
the same functions to the plant that the stonl-
ach does to the anima-absorbs juices from
the earth and transmits them through one set
Of vessels to the leaves, which are contnu-
alton and extension Of the same vessels and
matter. These extend their surface for alb
sorption and transmission of air & moisturess-
simulate the juices, and return them through
another set of vessels to nourish and enlarge
the various parts of the plant. Thus, the
leaves perform the same functions as the lungs
Of the animal, beside giving shade to the veg.
etablc. These truths point out the true mode
of cultivatng ascending and descending germs
and also the potato. The plant from per-
feet potato lives seven months, pcrfectins its
fruit before it dies. The plant from descend
ing germ lives only from FIVE. to three months,
unable at either stage to perfect its fruit
Therefore, when the plant dies, the fruit not
being ripe, continues to absorb the decompos-
ing matter in the leaves and vessels, until
these vessels close. Consequently, when we
sec the leaves getting spotted and black, and
emitting an offensive smell from decomposing
matter, we should at once dig the crop to save
what potatoes exist, and turn the land to
some useful purpose. This is what We in
our wisdom, call the incomprehensible potato
disease produced, you will observe, by our
own neglect of the immutable laws Of God
and Nature.
The largest potato, being first from the
plant, and consequently longer in the world
than the small one, is best for seed. This
producing tuber) is potato with twelve
eyes, consequently containing twelve plants
If set it whole, | put twelve plants to live
upon the land of one; in other words put
twelve COWS to live upon one cows grass
Therefore, scoop out the eyes Of the lasge po-
tatoes for seed, and use the rest. Let seed
potatoes be the largest, and left in the light
until they become green. TheyAre thus best
for seed but not SO good for the table, the oxy-
gen having escaped. TO keep potatoes for
use, turf char is best; it will keep them per-
feet, though only month old.
To give an idea how to manage potato seed
for sale Or use Hang up the apples in the
barn or other clubhouse, in the light until
they become white, soft and pulpy, like ripe
gooseberry then press out the seed into Wa
ter, and throw away the hull; wash the glu-
tinous matter from the seed by change of wa
ter, and dry it in the sun; Or take pulpy
apple and press out the seed between the folds
of blotting paper; the paper absorbs all the
glutinous matter, and you will find from 800
to 800 seeds, a sufficient quantity for one far
mer. Another mode: Cover the apples in
sand, which will absorb the hull and glutin-
GUS matter; and in spring SOW sand and seed
together in hot bed, which is simply twelve
inches of stable manure covered with two in
ches of earth. transplanted 800 plants
from box four feet long by one foot wde
when the plants were from four to six inches
above the earth, to drills eighteen inches apart
and sixteen inches between each plant March
or April is the best time for transplantng,
and drills should be adopted in every instance
in preference to lazy beds, because the latter
retain rain and grow weeds, which pre-
vent the circulation of air, and cannot be
easily got at. The juices of the potato sleep
during the winter and awake in the spring !;
therefore do not plant before February. The
experiments stated in this paper can be tried
ard tested equally by learned sage or inlet
tered peasant, for one shilling.
This paper demonstrates from the leaf be-
ing the lung Of the plant, that the potato
cannot possibly grow after the leaf dies, cx-
cept we suppose it to grow upon decomposing
NATTER and the diagrams demonstrate that
there never was any disease in the plant Or
potato. Why and whence then are these va
rious antidotes against the mysterious, in.
comprehensive potato isease,' leading the
peasantry of these realms to lose their land
manure and labor year after year, A French.
man tells US to insert a pea in each to absorb
the supcrabnndant mosture-the cause Of
blight. An Engshman bids us plant in tan
a Scotchman tells us to plant in peat char,
because having ninety-six per cent of carbon,
it is, like the pea and tan, a certain cure
The ROYAL Agricultural Society Of Ireland