New-York daily tribune., 1857-04-25
AGRICLL TURAL ITEMS.
PLANTING POTATOES.

PLANTING POTATOES.
In olden time, when land planted in slovenly MAJ
ner produced from three to seven hundred bushels q
potatoes to the acre. and the farmer thought himself
lucky man if he found a purchaser of his crop &s
shilling bushel, tor such has been the case within
easy distance of this city, not too long ago for us 10
member any directions how to plant As 20 get
greater crop would not have been found particularly
| interesting to tho agricultural reader. But such
change has come over the spirit Of their dreams snce
in Western parlance the crop is powerful onsartia"
and the product brings from 81 to - bushel instead
of shilling perhaps they will be willing to listen to
few general rules well calculated to increase the yield
| and improve the quality.
Do not select muddy soil, or ground that was ms
nured high last year with unfermented stable or hog.
pen manure; and do not either of these manure
ON the crop. Use none but the very best compost,
or guano, thoroughly mixed with the soil and do use
lime, plaster and salt, one or oil. Twenty bushels OF
salt 80 bushels of lime, per acre, would not fghten
the potatoes of years growth and handful Of
plaster upon each hill would tel you most interest
| ing story.
But to begin with, pow your ground-dont scratch
Il ahd coll It plowed. We should prefer the Michigan
plow, run twelve inches deep, with sub-so plow
following in each furrow, twelve inches deeper; and
tem the work all being done by horse-hoes instead d
hand-hoes.
For seed, we should use medum-.ized tubersi and
as for the quantity per acre, specific directions csn
be given os to the night number of bushels because
one kind has four times IA maUy eyes as another KIND
and it is the number of eyes and not the number u
tubers that must be counted to get the exact right
quantity per acre. Again, opinions differ as to the
| of IN bc used In ODlnOn.
too much rather than too little il generally used IN
each hill, particularly where whole tubes are used.
We are in favor Of planting potatoes in drills, as wei
as almost every other farm crop. If whole tubers arc
planted twenty stalks to hill may often be counted
and in, arably they are not vigorous, and produce
small potatoes and poor yield.
The seed end of potatoes, we have no doubt, is
equally valuable any other part for planting, cut
20 as not to have too many eyes and sprouts
hudded together; yet we have known some over nice
planters cut off and throw away the seed end as worth
less inst az some do the but ends of Of corn with
out being able to assign the wherefore. To
sum up: Plant potatoes dry land, deep plowed and
sub-oied manured with compost in the drill, or COW
cred and mixed with all the surface soil with cult
yator harrow Plant Inedum-sized tubers IN medium
quantities cut 70 to divide the eyes equally ana
take pains ~ drop them carefully aud with regularity
Use salt and lime broadcast at the first or second tend
ing mixing with tie soil by the cultivator. Tie pas
ter NAV be put on at any time after the vines are wen
grown Take care to keep the field clear OF weeds
cost what il will and you can grow potatoes 10 these
latter days. with profit than you ever dd IN a"
cient times Of great crops and low prices Even '"o
crop Of ls5? should be large, you neea ho' ''"' -"
prices-thaf day has passed away. B"t we uo"eeyou
10 increase the potato crop and trust to proVde"ce ana
ex,ro care that the epdenac that has so long arted
| and discouraged farmers can be overcome
pprp,pI,s roR SuGAR-MAKiS6 FROM SoRGHo.-
n, HODGE Of Cincinnati has invented portable iron
mill 10 be operated by horee power 20 grind tho
oks of the Chinese sUgar'cane. The NH - descDea
A. cop,isting of three vertical cast-iron rollers sup
port.d between strong cas-ron plates resting upon
triangular wood irnne about eight feet is SIDES
Under each corner is large truck Wheel so adjusted
when working al to revolve in circle the shah OF
one Of the rollers occupying the center Of the Frame
and clutched fast To timber below, preventing US
turning, while the other two, being eeared into az
the top, made to rcvolye around II as tue wno''
frame is turned by the horse. On corner Is ieed
table, from which feeds the cane, WHICH, ha'ihs
been acted upon by the two rollers, passes ou' upoo
table on tie other corner which Is removed "' oi'e"
As sufhcient quantity acc"ihu'"~''
down through the bed-plate, aad received In ves-
sel made icr that purpose In 'ew mia'es 'as
truck beels can be changed and the clutch removed
ard the whole is ready TO travel. We should think
from the description that il cannot be very expensive
MAPLE grsAR-PRoDrcr OF OsE TREE.--Who
would not plant maple tree' Look at what one
tree may yield. Thirty flour pounds Of sugar IN one
season
The Chronicle, Warren, Trumbuh County, Ohio,
sstes that from moderste-szed tree, standing In
open ground in front Of the residence Of the Rev.
David King Of Vernon Of that county, his wife unsds
"a pounds Of very fine sugar this season. 1t thosshs
if all the zap had been carefully saved il would have
given 40 pounds. Surely 1t 10 worth while 70 P'sn
such trecs as this for shade and ornsment
The general yield Of iasple sugsx he's besa Ass~