Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1859-05-12
farmer's 9epartment.
PLANTING POTATOES IN THE
SAME HILL WITH CORN.


Emery P. Barnes, of Pharasalia, writes as
follows to the Gcnnesee Farmer:
Having never seen an account in any ag-
ricultural paper, as I recollect, of any one
having raised potatoes with corn in the hill,
I thought 1 would try the experiment last
Spring. I had finished the potatoes | was
intending to plant, but having some small
ones left, concluded to plant them in the
same hills with a patch of corn, and mark
the effect. I planted the corn about the
25th of May, the season being so wet could
not plant them sooner l dropped the corn
and potatoes together, hoed them the same
tirue, and dug the potatoes soon after cut"
ting up the corn. The ground was not first
rate, but the corn was an average crop, full
as good as some near by, where corn was
planted alone. The potatoes were first rate
-uever saw finer. | shall try this again
next Spring, and if they succeed as we'll as
they did this year, shall continue to plant
them together. If the two crops do as vel
together as separate, it makes great saving
Of labor to plant them together. Has any
one tried planting the two crops tosetherT
Ii so, give the result through the Farmer.
To the Editor IF the Farmer and Plan
ter, ColumJia, s. C.-SIR: [ do not pro.
fess to be an accomplished potato.grower-'
but. rather belong to the category Of those
who always make either a great many small
potatoes, or a few big ones. The abave no.
tion of planting corn and potatoes together,
came across the other day, and, as know
an old gentleman, famous for his fine late
potatoes, who generally adopted the above
process, it struck me rs worth drawing at
tentiou to it.
He generally selected some plot of bottom
land, where the soil was too moist for early
corn planting, and dropped his poiato cut
tiugs in the hill with the corn, and cultiva.
ted them together. The greatest objection to
the plan is, that it is too easy to pull up
the corn.stalk aud do the grabbing, that the
negroes would be very apt to make fine work
of it.
This may in great measure be obviated,
however, by telling them that they may have
just as many as they want-for forbidden
fruit seems to be more luscious and tempt
ing than all other varieties TO Cuffee.
The Irish potato really deserves a more
general cultivation amongst us. We are
content, generally, with patch, little pet
plot of soil, wonderfully we'll prepared and
uauured, which generally pays we'll, it is
true; but is it good policy TO be sending
thousands Of dollars to New England annual
ly for even our seed potatoes, when we eau
grow, near our mountain ranges, as good
potato, aud at lower price?
The potato is very little effected by the
blight in this country, aud no sensible rea-
sou can be assigned why millions of bushels
should not be grown annually in the upper
districts of South Carolina, and the noun
tain ranges Of South Carolina and North Ca
yoliua, for export The New England States
produce about twenty million bushels Irish
potatoes, worth so many million dollars to
them. Much of this product comes S"nth
for market. South Carolina, North Caro-
lima, Virginia and Georgia produce about
Two and half million-not much more than
a potatoe apiece for their white population
and yet these four States are bounded by
a mountain range as fertile and as well adapt.
ed to the production Of the potato as any
part of the United States.
Now ti,strailroads are beginning to pierce
the mountain region, hope the day may
not be far distant when you can chronicle
South Caryiua as au exporter of potatoes,
Instead of as an importer
TUBER.