The emigrant aid journal of Minnesota. [volume] (Nininger City, Minn. Terr. [i.e. Minn.]) 1856-1858, 1858-04-14

day is not far distant, when the potatoes Of Minnesota
will form a staple article Of export.
There is not an article which the farmer produces,
that enters 80 largely into the common diet of the
masses, nor one more wholesome, and consequently none
which, on q small scale, more deserves bis serious At.
! ~tention. .,
Because they are so very cheap this spring, let NO
one on that account neglect their cultivation. There is
no danger Of raising too many for should We chance
will be glad to get them.
Ny main object in this communication has been to
draw attention, to what l deem the proper cultivation
OF the proper mode Of cultivation, Of the potato, but be.
lore proceeding to that I will advert briefly to its origin
1t has always been supposed to have originated in South
America, in the vicinity of Peru. 1t was first intro
duced into England, from the State Of Virginia, in
1884, and given to Sir Walter Raleigh, who had it
planted on his estate in Ireland, where it was cultivated
to some extent, though it was not generally used for
food until near the end of the 18th century. When
first found, it was not the noble, pal.table looking bulb
that it now is but it has attained its present size and
favor, BY careful cultivation. In those places where it
was originally found, it still remains the same insigui6-
cant tuber that it was when 6rst discovered, nearly
three hundred years ago.
1t is now used as food throughout the world, and ap-
pears to adapt itself to all climates, and all varieties Of
soils and an acre Of land will usually yield twice the
quantity Of food planted With potatoes, that it will sovn
with wheat.
Chemists tell US that in 1000 parts of potatoes there
are ESQ parts Of ~nutritive matter, 200 parts of mucil.
lsge or starch, Is parts of s~acchariae matter, and about
40 parts of gluten or alhumen.
But l promised to give my nso7.. operond; of cult
waiting the potato; l will not presume to say that my
way is the bea, but that it is better than some l do
candidly believe. Others are at liberty to follow my
plan, or reject it as they choose. Nor would l have
any one believe my method to be the correct one, merely
upon my ipse dix1. I want every MAI to satisfy him
self BY making experiments. In the first place, I do
not plant as early as some do, as / think as a general
thing, potatoes planted about the first Of June do better
than if planted before that time. Frosts hold of 80
late here in the fall that they have plenty Of time to
mature, if not planted until the first Of June, or about
that time. If planted earlier, they come to setting in
about the dryest season Of the year, and Of course the
yield will be small. !
Having selected my ground for planting, which is in
as elevated a position as possible, in order to get the
benefit Of the cool brcezes, (the potato loves = cool
breeze,) and fixed upon the time for planting, 1 proceed
to putting the land in order, preparing the seed, &c.
The land being plowed, is then narrowed until it is
smooth and finely pulverized. The seed having been
prepared a few days previous, is now ready to be COM
mitted to the earth. What I mean by being prepared
is this, every potato Of medium size (and none below
should be used) and upwards should be cut into pieces
according to the number Of eyes it has, and tie same
rule should be observed in dropping the pieces. l like
this better than whole as it spreads the seed more, and
the stalks or vines are not crowded whereas if whole
potatoes are used the vines will come up thickly and
will be ~spiudlings slwsys. i then drop tho seedson the
surface Of the ground in rows about, ~ feet apart each
way, and cover them, making large fat hills, as large as
space will admit. This done, they require nothing
more until digging time, only to keep down the weeds.
The old system Of hoeing potatoes two or three times
during the season, has a tendency to produce . great
many small potatoes, as at every hoeing there will b.
new sets, and as q natural result there will be many
{ small potatoes have invariably raised good large
potatoes when I have pursued this course, but last year
having departed from it, for the sake Of testing its
I was not at all surprised to end that I had
5Ai6eo Al AuIeEI0E STtlcIo - compared WIN the crops 81
other seasons. #' A.eas "a, -
pay no attention, nor should any farmer, to the
moons phases, in planting or sowing any crop, as l can
not discover any philosophy u in the changes Of the moon,
having any influence on vegetation. 1 have been fire.
quently labored with for my perversepess on this point,
but still remain incorrigibIe. If such = doctrine is
founded on philosophical principles, I doubt not some
Of its learned advocates could explain it in language
suited to the dull comprehension Of the unbelievers. If
there should be one who wishes to vindicste his cause,
| speak for him a place in the columns of the Journal.
5.' F. r. CoUNTRYMAN.
N1N1NoER, April 5, 1858. Mad
There are very many people in various sections of
the country, who believe that the moon in her different
quarters or phases act differently upon the planted seed.
It must not be thought that our friend above meant to
~iuculcate the ideas that the moon had no effect what.
ever upon the ~earth-because there are many phe.
nonens which cannot be explained unless We admit
that she has an influence upon the earth-but that in
her different phases she cannot possibly affect the
growth Of anything, and he holds the old theory Is We
do-as simply absurd. We believe, however, that the
moon may exert a constant and salstory and equ.lfn.
auence upon plants.-(Ep). rl i, :,
To DRIVE AWAY Rrs.-Some years since : core
spoudent of the Boston CxAivasor recommended potash
for the purpose The rats troubled him very much,
having entered through the chamber floor They .ap.l
pc wed ID great numbers, and were very troublesome, 90
that he felt justified In r~esorting to extreme measures