Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1855-05-05
farmtr's Department.
Another Mode of Planting Potatoes.

For two years we have been trying to in
duce some of our readers to try an experiment
in the cultivation Of potatoes, but whether we
have been successful or not We have no means
of knowing, as no person has reported progress.
There is no crop that has paid so well the past
season as potatoes, and there is 10 crop SO
certain or so easily raised Potatoes have been
a legal tender in this market ever since free
bank money began to dcpreciate, at one dollar
and fifty cents a huShel There is no crop that
may be raised so easily as potatoes, nor one
that can be raised more proftably. With the
hopes that some of the readers OF the Courier
may be Induced to try the experiment the
coming season. and report the results, we again
publish the plan for raising this indispensable
vegetable
Let the farmer or the gardener select some
refuse lot, or part of a lot of sod ground Do
not plow it, but when planting time comes, say
between the 10th Of May and first of June,
place potatoc cuttings on the grass of the said
ground from II to Is inches apart, using
about the same amount, or perhaps little
more seed than is used in the ordinary way of
planting Cover the ground thus sown with
coarse straw, corn stalks, leaves or any refuse
matter of the kind, to depth of 6 TO 10
it growing. The potatoe vines will find their
way through this covering without difficulty
and form a mat, which will prevent the straw
or other covering from being blown off by the
wind. Potatoes planted in this way will need
no blowing or hoeing. In the fall, when the
vines are killed with frost, take strong rake
and. uncover the potatoes, which will be found
covering the ground, large, dry, and clean
Co. 4Io Eoft1
The ground will be found to have lost none of
its virtue, but will, in fact, be enriched by the
process The labor prescribed, it will be seen,
is much less than will be required by the old
method of plowing, planting, hoeing and
digging. The result will be, in nine cases out
of ten, a much larger crop Of much nicer
potatoes-and what is better still, they will not
be subjected to the rot.
Almost every farmer has stacks of straw
which have been run over by his stock during
the winter and which is of no use except for
this purpose Why not at least try this simple
experiment Its cost is trifing, except for the
seed.
Farmers of Tippecanoe, how many of you
will give the experiment fair trial-measure
your ground, and report the the result for the
information of the rest of the readers of the
Courier Select two spots of ground, if you
choose-one wet and the other dry-so as to
meet the season. If the season should be dry,
your wet ground will be more likely to succeed !;
if the season be wet, your dry ground will pro-
duce the best. Several farmers and gardeners
pomsed to try the experiment last year, but
we have heard of none that did So For your
encouragement we will state that we have our
selves raised at the rate Of over nine hundred
bushels Of potatoes to the acre by this simple
method. A big story, but true notwithstand-
ing. If this table vegetable should command
the price of the past winter, we presume our
farmer readers would be satisfied with one
third of that amount, and make more money
at that than by raising corn.-Lafayette In
diana) Courier.