The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1858-04-16
TrOm the Country Gentleman.


We copy the following from the April
number of the GeneSee Farmer, as confirm
aiory of the practice recommended by 'our
correspondent, Mr.. liowatt.
After all that has been written on the
subject, it is still disputed point whether
it is better to plant large or small potatoes,
whole potatoes or sets.
The fleshy matter Of the potato unques-
tionably furnishes food for the young plant !;
and, on theoretical grounds, 1t might be sup
posed that the larger the potatoes-the more
ileshy matter there is to each eye-the more
vigorous would be the early growth OF the
plant. This is probably true SO far as the
growth of leaves aud stems Is concerned,
aud il may be of seed lballs) also but II
must be borne in mind, in applying general
principles to the cultivation OF the potato,
that the object Is not to develop the natural
growth OF the plant, but 10 increase the
formation Of tubers-of the underground
"gouiy branches The present habit OF the
plant is the result somewhat OF artificial
treatment; and in order to retain this habit,
we must resort To those practices which
have been found from experience TO Induce
the formation of tubers, rather than to those
which are deduccd from the general pTlnci-
pies applicable 20 the natural growth OF the
plants. Dir. LINDLEr-a high authority
saws: IL have proved, by a series OF nu-
merous experiments, that the weight OF Po-
tatoes per acre is greater, under equal cir
cums,ances, from sets than from whole tu-
bers, by upwards Of from Z c~t. to . tons
nor acre" An excessive amount OF all
,nentary matter in the sets, therefore, Is in-
;urious rather than beneficial.
IL does not follow from this fact, however,
that small potatoes are better for seed than
large ones. Small potatoes are apt to thro"
up too many small, soft stems, which pro-
duce smaller tubeTs than where there Is
one, or at most two, stout woody stems. Ii
seems, also, to be proved that set from
good.siLed potato Is better than a set RON
a small one and it is probably true, as the
experiments Of the REV. FARQUuARsoN III
dicatc, that large potatoes planted whole
will produce greater crop Of gOod-slzed
potatoes than small ones planted whole
Yet IL does not follow from this that there Is
not too much fleshy matter in the large po-
ta,o when planted whole, and that 1t would
not be better. as Dr.. Lindley states, TO plant
only sets from the large potato.
IL is a curious fact, but one which seems
to be well established, that the eyes from
the extremity of the potato, produce CROPS
which come to maturity from = to 3 weeks
earlier than those from the root end. In
some parts Of England, farmers who raise
early potatoes for market have availed them
selves of this fact for many years. They cut
the potatoes into sets, and those nearest the
extremity Of the potato produce the earliest
crop, and are planted by themselves, in
warm places, for this purpose. The sets at
the ROO, end are planted Tor late crop, and
those in the middle OF the potato are planted
for an intermediate crop. The root end Is
usually thrown aside tor the pigs.
II has been supposed that the reason why
the ewes from the point Of the potato are