Bellevue gazette. [volume] (Bellevue City, N.T. [i.e. Neb.]) 1856-1858, 1858-01-07

dred wears, it was thought necessary by
some of the wisest and best men to encour-
age or enforce its growth by parliamentary
action. In twenty years after this question
was agitated, so popular had 1t become
and 50 general in its use, that no root
could compare with it, either in quantity
raised or in the esteem in which II was
held by the people. The fact, therefore,
that plant gains but slowly in popular
favor is no certain evidence that it Is not
valuable, and we should be careful how
we cry out humbug" at every thing new
because of apparent failure at first. Some
ofthe new r ants lately introduced may ulti
Inately effect as great moral, social and
political revolution in this country as did
the potatoe in Europe. ''! %. ''a'ls' '''
If the Chinese sugar cane shall enable
the farmers of the North TO manufacture
sugar and molasses so as to supply our
markets at a cheap rate, who can calcu-
late the mighty moral and social change
that will be peacefully effected by it, com
pared with which the greatest political rev.
olution will sink into insignifcnnce Z We
may learn, also, the folly Of growing one
crop so exclusively as 10 make its success
or failure matter of such serious impor-
tance-almost question Of life and death
instead of a mere matter of profit or loss
for season. We have always urged our
farmers to grow diversity Of crops, even
where one or Two seemed for time to
be the most profitable, and the failure Of
the wheat crop in the Genesee Valley has
proved the wisdom Of the advice. '
The potato with us is an important crop.
1t is found every day of the year upon The
tables of the rich and poor, and is at once
a luxury and necessity. In no part of
the country is il grown so extensively, we
think, as around Rochester. Inmense
quantities are shipped every Year 10 New
York, as far west as Chicago, and to most
Of the large cities Of Canada West. No
crop (except fruil) pays as well. In 1854
they averaged one dollar per bushcl in
1856, fifty cents, in 1856, one dollar; and
at the present time are selling from three
to four shillings. Those who grow large.
iy for shipping, generally keep their crop
over until spring, when the demand is
greater and the price higher than in the
fall. For keeping potatoes nothing equals
good root cellar, and some of our poia.
to farmers have very fine ones This is
much better and more economical than
burying them in the ground. t.|t'
For several years the potato rot has not
been very serious, thoughevery wet SUN.
mer the crop is more or less injured. In
1866 the summer crop was very wet, and
probably full one third Of the potatoes were
destroyed. In 1856 we had dry sea-
son, and saw not the slightest sign of rot.
The present summer has been wet, and
rather cold and backward, and we haze
heard much complaint of this disease, and
observed unmistakeable signs of mischief
on the vines. We have seen several lots
dug on high, sandy ground, an not two
per cen. were affected. On heavy moist
land, the evil is much more serious. In
deed, we would not try TO grow potatoes
on heavy SOIL As one hundred or one
hundred and fifty bushels is not large
crop, our readers will have no difficulty
in figuring up good profit from growing
potatoes at the prices we have named,
even though the crop should be injured
somewhat in wet seasons, as during the
past Ave years -Ruai Wew Yorker. 70