The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1857-05-23
Agricultural.
The Growing OF Potatoes.

desire to attract tine attention of farmers
to the growing of that useful and invaluable
plant, the common Potato. If the quality or
quantity ol it can be increa scd, to any con-
siderable extent, it would he benefit both
to the producer and the CONSUMER.
The yield of this crop is far less than for
mcrly, cannot be denied. and by many it IS
thought the quality has deteriorated nearly
i'll the same ratio.
Now, why is this? Is it necessary that
decoration should continue! Or can it be
avoided! In considering these inquiries.
would not wish to advance my notions mere
| ly because they are mine. but will endcavor
TO collect and present the views Of ADLER men
{ than myself
| The theory of one class of writers is, that
potatoes permitted to fully ripcn, are injured
in their provocative powers, and a cullrd, UNI
healthy product, will be the result Of planting
such seed. On the other hand, "unripencd
and consequently watery potatoes, make the
best sccd-roots, inaslnuch as they always
produce strong healthy, vigorous plants;
this watery matter being the germinative
principle. This principle is not peculiar to
this vegetable alone, but i, is in unison with
all the operations of nature, and is part
of the great law which observes that, when
perfection in vegetable productions has been
attained, their Reproduction degenerate aud
vice versa. "-P. Cowan'S Essay.
I'VE think experience slightly corroboratcs
this theory, for the undcr.ripcncd seed, rails
ed in the bad season of Al, produced a crop
without failing in -, which was an unfa-
vorable season. while the over-rpencd seed,
raised in the line season of ~, caused eX
tcnSvc failures in '43, though it was fine
season. "-Qautcrly Journal Of agriculture.
So the poor crop of 1871 produced a good
one 1855, and that produced poor one in
1856.
ut is contendcd by many sklrul farmers
i'll England, that the latest formed tuberS are
far the best for seed. The reason given for
this superiority is, that those tubers which
are last formed will retain their productive
properties more fully at the next season for
planting - Iinonumom.
1t is confidently asserted BY many observ-
ing agricnlturists, that weakness of the seed
is the chief cause of failures in the potato
crop, and that weakness comes of ovcI ripe
ness. think the loss and disappointment
from failure in the potato crop may, in nine
ty.nine cases out of every hundred, be pre-
selecting seed before they have completed
| 'hNii S'o" VII. iSSu iothtoSS otlOuih NV pS
of mealy quality. nor should they be sto-
red whore they will heat, nor be kept out of
the ground more than twenty four hours af
ter being cut out for planting. "-GWleners'
Chronicle.
The above principle has been advocated by
many writers, while others contend for an
opposite cause, and say, "we may as well
expect good wheat from shTivrllcd wheat, as
to look for satisfactory returns from dminu-
tive potatoes" 1t certainly would not be
very expensive to try the experiment on Il
small scale
Raising seed potatoes from the ball. is
claimed to be a sure way of both increasing TIL,
yield and quality.
A writer in the Bangor Tj'hig, some years
since, says:-''Thc fact is, that most of the
varieties of potatoes are actually dying out,
with old age. Like all other plants, the po-
tato family dcgeneratcs, and runs out. The
Nova Scotians now plant the balls, and thus
procure new seed, which bring the second
year, arrives at maturity and full size"
''Thc potatoes grown from the seed apples
seem also to have more vigorous growth
than those which are obtained from bulbs
that have been used for many years."