Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-03-18
For the Journal
Seed Potatoes.

A0out swO hundred and seventy years
have elapsed since the potato was introduo
ed into England from Virginia BY tho colo
nists Of 1885. Spain received them from
the mountainous parts Of South Amsric a
previous to the above date. There are nu-
nerous varieties OF this Root owing to the
facility OF procuring the m from tho seed, on
the same principle We obtain now sorts of
apples from the apple seed. The farmers
in this section Of the country, We are sorry
TO say, have given little or no at ttentiou to
the propagation Of tho potato from seed,
and thus improve their old OF obtain
new variseies' In our opinion, we have
never had but two kinds of potatoes in this
part Of the State worthy of cultivation, viz:
"Nsshanaock" and "whiss plnk-eys." The
former originated. 81 far as we have been
able to learn, in Mercer county. Pa. henca
We see it quoted by the latter name in the
New York market; but if ws should oon
pare our "neshannockmn, kn,J r.. a., ~ ns.oefS)
Of that mvor Of tn. latter s nat,e' q~'' e'e esn
accounstor iuonIy in this way, viz: We have
planted the same potato for the last four
teen years (ths time for any variety to have
run out according to DR.. Hanter) without
change Of seed or Of clisnste-on the same
soil and under the same cultivation, and the
result Of this is our potatoes are small aud
tew in hill. Now, Mr. Farmer, although
you know very we'll that your pota toes be-
came diseased years ago, yet when you send
to market and find your potatoes bring
about 30 per cent. less than those from
neighboring States, you think it very strange,
but il you should ask some one who is re-
ceiving them from all sections Of the coun-
try, you would be told that the article
you market are small, knotty, diseased, hol
ow-oored, watery potatoes, and that you
ought to give the subject more attention,
and not only change the seed more often but
see that you got seed from variety which
has never had the rot and, our word for it.
you will not have occasion to complain of
the sswet-season," "dry season." ''short-
season. or s'late-season," but will dnd that
your ground has turned out from 50 to IS
per a. Mt. more to. the acre and of much bet.
tor quality. We propose now to state some
of the observations aud experiences of the
last year taken from the Prices Current of
Messrs. DRsw & FsENoR, of New York:
"The last season presented but slight op-
portunities for testing the re- ative hardness
or exemption from rot OF the several varie-
ties, since all were nearly free from the
dreaded disease.
..We shall at this time speak mainly of
the moro prominen. and promising ,seso va
rietier, intending to note from year to year
the progress Of improvement in this impor-
tant branch OF husbandry.
cAmong these ''Peach Blow" at present
takes the first rank. Not the old fashioned,
yellow -meated, red-skinned, rank favored
Peach Blow OF our boyhood, but modern
Seeding Of the Western Red: r is round,
with deep eyes, has . parti -colored skin,
and whitish- h-yellowish meat being whittier
and 6per favored when grown in this lsti-
tuds than at the North, where 1t originated.
Il il generally sound-hearted, cooks very
evenly. dry and light This market has this
| season been we'll supplied with it, and it has
steadily commanded the highest rates-sell-
| ing on par with that old favorite and stan
dard variety, tie Mercer. It has tall, up.
right and luxuriant vine, rambles from the
hill, and is very late, requiring the whole
season to mature. 1t attains large size, is
q large yielder, turning out SO to l0O per
cent. more than MERGERS, and has been far
the most profitable late potato OF the past
season The chances Of rot are very much
Increased by the length of time it requires
to mature, and this, together with the un-
certainty, from recent introduction, OF con-
tinuing to thrive as we'll as heretofore rem
ders the more prudent cultivators cautious
of risking too much upon this promising
variety. 1t will. however, be very exten-
siyely planted the ensuing spring.
s'The Buckeye is the NEST promising carly
potato. 1t was introduced from Ohi1 to the
vicinity of Rochester, N. Y, three years
ago, from which locality it has spreal 70
different sections, but has been most extsn-
sively cultivated in Monmouth county, N.
J. II is handsome round p)tato, white
throughout, except little bright pink ut
the bottom of the eye. 1t Cooks very dry
and light, and is 6ne favored, particularly
when first matured. 1t is very early, ripen-
ing before the Mercer, and attains good
marketable size as early as the Dikeman.-
It is remarkable for cooking we'll as soon
as it attains fair size. 1t throws up very
thick, vigorous and lnxuriant vine, grows
compactly in the hill, and to q large size,