Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-07-15

try, that any one and every one can raise
potatoes. planted on any soil or any time be-
tween the lst of May and the lst of July, and
harvest or gather them any time between the
lst OF October and the 1st of December Now
those very men who plant their potatoes in
June and dig them in November, are the first
to complain OF that dreadful disease the potato
rot: They tell you their potatoes are rotting
badly, and they don't know why they should
they always leave them in the ground ustiI
cold weather, to prevent their rotting-they
fear they will lose their entire crop, &c
admit that any one can raise potatoes if
he knows how; but when l see n potato patch
here and there, remaining in the cold, wet,
and partially frozen ground. through all our
heavy fall rains, perhaps till the 18th or Goth
OF November, then I am of the opinion that
there might be good farmers who don't know
how to raise potatoes. Again, many kinds of
potatoes, If planted very late, will not get
ripe before frost comes and kills the vines
which l assign as good reason for their rot.
ting. 1t is my opini0n from the best of NV
knowledge and experience in raising potatoes
that full three-fourths of all the losses In our
country on the potato crop, are more owing to
bad management than any other cause I
have Enown farmers, or men who call them
selves so, sort out their sm allest potatoes per.
haps two or thrse kinds together, from the
size Of a walnut to that Of q butternut. and
strew them along in the furrow about one foot
apart, without cutting; and I have never
known them to fail of raising a very small
crop OF very small potatoes. One of these
small potato growers few years since took
farm to work on shares for three or four years
one of the best farms in Jefferson county
he raised few very small potatoes, scarcely
enough for the family's use, and Of very poor
quality at that. He finally came to the con-
oluson before he left, that the farm would not
prodnce good potatoes.
Previous to this time, the owner Of this
same farm had lived on it some thirty wears
or more, and never failed of raising a good
crop of potatoes. have raised potatoes every
year for the last twenty-eight years, and have
never failed of raising fair crop, and seldom
lose any by rotting. L will now give my plan
for raising potatoes.
l takej for instance, a piece of stubble
ground that was manured last year and
plowed last fall, and as soon as the ground
ls dry enough in the spring pIow again, and
If the land is wet [ ridge IN lands about
twelve feet wide, always plowing the same
way, so that the water will run of in the dead
furrows | then harrow well lengthwise the
furrows-then with a light plow, furrow the
ground three feet apart-then take good large
potatoes and cut them 90 as to leave one eve
in every piece-then drop two pieces in a hill
two feet apart in the furrow-then cover with
hoe.
For the last six years l have raised white
Seeding, very excellent potato and a good
yielder. The tops Of this kind arc very small
therefore will do to plant nearer than many
other kinds. Potatoes should never be plant
ed two years in succession on the same ground.
/ would recommend changing seed as often as
once In two or three years. would also rec
ommend planting each kind of potato sep.
arate-nover plant different kinds together
WatertO,yH, ". r DIP.