The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1859-04-21
g ri / u 4 t VI fa1.
(FRoM THE coukrRr GEsrLEMAs.l
Potatoes.


the agricultural journals not only in this country,
but also in Europe Prior to the appearance
of the disc, &c known as the potato rot" 1t
was one of the surest and most productive Of
our farm crops: and its culture was adapted to-
great variety of soils, and wide range of latitude
and great difference of climate. Producing
abundant crops of the best quality of table use
over wide districts of territory, where from the
humidity and low temperature of the climate,
Indian corn would not mature. From the facil-
ity and certainty with which the potato could
be grown, and the ease with which it could be
prepared for food, it became the chief susten-
ance for millions in Ireland and other districts of
Europe. But the disease that attacked aud
destroyed large portion of the crops, de-
prived millions of their accustomed food, and
their having no other resources to fall back
upon misery and starvation over large districts
of these Inflated countries was the result.
To account for the canse of the potato rot,
hundreds of theories have been conlured up
Many of them appearing to be founded upon
correct and rational scientific and physiological
principles but when tested by actual experiment
thew have all failed to effectually guard against
the attacks of that mysterious blight which in
the space of very few days, would change the
healthy-looking green tops of the potato, over
extensive districts of country, to blackened
mass Of decaying vegetable matter, as if having
been stricken down with premature and severe
frost and frequently this phenomenon was soon
followed by the rotting Of the tubers to such an
extent as to ruin the crop In other cases, APP
parently sound potatoes have been sorted in
cellars, or pitted, and in few days or weeks
TINS the rot either the soft or dry, or both,
would attack them, and great lose would result.
Notwithstanding all that has been said and
written, and all the investigations of the scien-
tifc, and experiments Of practical farmers, no
efectual preventive has yet been promulgated,
that can be relied upon to insure a sound crop
of potatoes, as was the almost universal fact be-
fore the potato cholera made its appearance.
In 1851, the Legislature of Massachusetts
offered a reward Of $4,000, to the person
within that State who would discover and make
public "a sure and practical remedy for the,
potato rot" And scores if not hundreds, have
presented their claims for this generous reward
at yet, all have failed to satisfy the Governor
and council of Massachusetts,, that any one is
justly entitled to it.
Since penning the above we learn that
"The Massachusetts, Board of Agriculture, by
q committee appointed for the purpose, have
been putting to the test, on the State Farm at
Voc K 4Io IL r.
the potato disease, for which the premium of
$4,000 offered several years ago by the Leg
isature of Massachusetts,, has heen claimed 1t
appears that about twenty prescriptions were
tried by the comttee and oil failed. Of course
the committee reported thatno person is entitled
to the premiums. 1t is quite likely that this
report when published will be somthing of a
settler of theories on this subject
Although no certain preventive for the potato
disease has been discovered, and probably never
will be, yet many facts relating to the nature
cultivation, improvement and preservation of
thisvaluable farm product, have been brought to
notice, that may be of value in the future of
this escuent Some varieties are more hardy
than others, seem to be less liable to the d.
sease. Such varieties should be preferred for
the main crop, if they are not of so good a4qual-
ity for table use as are but less hardy varieties.
Some contend that only sound, healthy aohole
potatoes should be planted, and decidedly OBJ
ject to cutting the tubers for seed-believing
the dividing of the tuber into sets or pieces,
impairs the vitality of the seed, and increases
liability to disease. While others strongly re-
commend cutting the tubers, so as to have but
one eye on each set, and planting two or three
pieces in each HILL This has been termed the
"one-eye system" We very well know, that
large, sound crops of potatoes have been grown
from seed planted whole, and the same result has
followed from seed finely cut and we haveknown
the rot to prevail badly where the seed was
schote, sound potatoes-and so with the crop
grown from cut seed Under certain conditions,
both kinds of seeding will produce healthy sound
tubers and under other, or apparently the same
conditions, the rot viii equally affect the pro-
duct What those conditions are that cause a
sound crop, or what those influences are that
causes adiseased one, are mysteries that have
not yet been fully solved
By many, dry, light, loose soil. is considered
necessary to the soundness and health of the
vegetable, as well as to its richness and flavor
no doubt the quality of the soil affects the value
of the potato for table use. A wet, heavy.
undrained soil, besides yielding smaller crop,
is less favorable to sound one Elevated lands
high up the side of mountain or hill, is gener-
liz f.