Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1858-02-20
Sfarmers' 9epartment.
Tho Potato Culture.

The following in the Country Gentlemen is
from Mr.. G. MeMAsoN, of Milford, CT. -
"My plan has been for tho last eight years
to change my seed as often as once in every
two years even if plant the same sort |
have for the last six years taken the trouble
to send from rs TO l50 miles for my seed and
think that have been paid for it in tenrolG
proportion. The sorts that ! have been most
successful with are the Prince Albert or
white Napoleon, the Irish Jumpers and the
Peach Blows. These three kinds never have
showed any symptoms OF the blight in this
section Of the country while many ofmy neigh
bors have kept their old sorts, aud have lest
nearly all The two past seasons. planted in
May last 2l1 rods Of ground with white Ma
poieons. and gathered over three hundred aud
seventy Eve bushels in October last, as nice
potatoes as ever any man need look at. They
are admired by all; they are very white and
smooth many of them measured from eight
to ten anj u half inches in length; the tops
all remained in n perfect state Of health until
they were cut off hy the frost. The tops Oh
the Peach blows do the same.
"My plan Of culyatiuu is TO take stalk
groand or else piow tin the fall, generally
select the smallest ones that | raise Tor my
own Use to plaUt--cut each potato, be it
ever so small. | seldom ever use over four
and Il half or five bushels OF seed TO the acre.
"M,iAod of Cuiticdfiol. generally use
about % loads Of coarse straw mannre 10 the
acre-spread and p!ow in--then plant my
seed three by three aud a half feet apart !;
when the plants begin 10 show themselves
uGe top dressing OF hen manure, ias;cr Of
Paris aud lcaehel ashes, mixed together u
full hand to the hill, which l bave found 10
be great benefit to me-"
In the Ohio Cu,Hcator, Mr.. ROBERT SEA-
vERs, OF Osha!oosa, Iowa, begs to be heard.
He says:
"Permit me TO add my experience in the
cultivation of potatoes, US additional evidence
in favor Of fact that we are only Just now in
the nineieenth century, beginning 10 learn
h0tc TO cultivate potatoes. 1t seems q little
strange, loo that the discovery ofcertain facts
In relation to this matter, appears to Lave
been simultaneous in different and distant
places.
Last spring took one peck Of Pea pota.
toes, ara cut them into very small pieces con-
tn'nng, some two, but most Of them only one
eye n each hill. planted them in bills about
81 feet apart each way, putting only one
piece in each hlll and from that peck | dag
aud measured % bushels Of good potatoes,
after throwing away sCme or bushels that
were aifectei With rot. The ground occupied
'N~ "a A.HN'' '''A y 'Nl''sAiS iNN'' ""N ""S NNA'
tiyaied tolerably WELL
"yoas correspondent, w. G. Johnson
says: 81 am Of the opinion that it is loss tc
plant or 3 whole potatoes in hill" ! add
there is not only a loss to potatoes planted
but On actual damage is done to the coming
crop, for am convinced tina; more and large,
potatoes eau be raised by planting one eye
in each hill, than can he raised by putting
OF 3 whole potatoes in hill. The more
seed you put in ILL, the more small potatOe;
you VIII have in proportion to the numbe
raised"