The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1857-08-19
CULTIVATION OF THE POTATO.

IULllfhllUN Or lHE POIAlO. 4
My own experiments Of eight years with
the potato, have very much encouraged me
to continue the alternate culture Of seed and
its seedlings with careful selections.
The process does materially improve the
potato in neU and erceLent varieties-in
health and productiveness. At the same
time, much depends for success upon a
proper situation and preparation Of soil,
manner Of cultivation, time Of planting, and
good storage.
Good upland soil, deep, thorough plough
ing, early planting, with well cultivated ap
proved Seeding varieties, in shallow drills,
early wedding, light hilling, early lifting,
and dry airy storage, does more for the re-
demption Of the potato from disease, than
all the nostrums the world can devise.
Potato seed. though it produces generally
several different varieties in its seedlings,
will not be likely to produce varieties or
qualities with which it has no connection.
! Ii new and choice varieties be expected
from sowing the seed, care should be taken
to obtain seed from good varieties, or in the
l immediate neighborhood of the same.
Seed from the balls, will transmit from
diseased stock, in some degree, that disease
| to its seedlings-to some varieties more than
others.
Some have gathered balls from anywhere,
without regard to the character of the stock,
planted the seed. and finding in the seedlings
disease and inferior specimens, abandoned
at once the experiment, and in their judg-
ment Seeding potatoes are no better than
old ones.
The same laws that govern the apple,
peach and strawberry, in their culture for
new and choice varieties, govern also the
potato. II a new choice seeding apple,
pear or strawberry be desirable, why not
new and excellent potato! But neither is
to be obtained without the use Of their seed,
and may be, not without a series Of expert
ments, with careful selections.
Potato seed, from properly selected, well
cultivated seedlings, combining through the
seed the best varieties at home and from
abroad, is among the most valuable seeds TO
/ be found in market.
Potato seed may be sown like the tomato,
early in hot bed for an early crop: or like
/ cabbage, in rich bed in warm place, and
transplanted Or with a seed planter in the
fields, with great profit; or broadcast, on
rich fine soil, and lightly narrowed in, with
no other cultivation, and the crop Of young
seedlings, the very best, for planting the
next season.
Early sowing the seed and early lifting,
give the potato tendency to carly ripening.
! Lifting the potato before il has projected
| It's growth, il is found dryer in cooking, will
keep better through the winter. yegctate
earlier in the spring, and become more har-
i DIV in its constitution.
/ Medium sized potatoes cook better, are Of
\ finer quality and flavor, will plant more
ground by the bushel, and are more exempt
IRON disease.
Nipping of the weeds, just below their
roots, soon as their appearance, is a better
remedy for the potatoe disease than niPping
the riaes.
/ My crop Of the last season, combining all
my best varieties through the seed from
home and abroad. is good-exempt from the
prevalent disease, productive, and develop
ing, from the seeds obtained not long since
from different parts Of the world, viz. prus-
sia, England, South America, Mackinaw,
and other places, varieties promising ,alua.
Bile acquisition TO the potato market. The
crop of about 400 bushels. shows distinctly
in its healthy and strong foliage. loaded with
balls, lis strongly marked and distinct sarie.
ties, and the increase of new varieties Of
fine appearance, the benefits Of the progress
sisc alternate culture.
n. S. SMITH.
Buffalo. n. Il,