Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1861-11-08
FARMERS DEPART. EN- I
NOTES ON raE oTATo CROP
Er11n Tie Prnirie Farmer

It is new certain that there is to be
considerable deficiency in the potato crop
Of. the west. From the northern counties
Of our own State we haze IN st unfavora-
bic intelligence. The early dry weather
and the continued autumn rains, have
greatly diminished the yield, beth as re-
CARDS quantity and quality, and of late
the rot has appeared in maoy quarters
In DuPage, Lee, Kane, and McHenry
couaties. the disease is generally preya-
lent and lii its worst form, and we have
little doubt The trouble extends through
out the Northern section of the State
SO great is the want in the region from
which the Chicago market is supplied, that
the price per bushel has risen FROM twenty
five cents to sixty cents Those who have
potatoes TO sell, will We think. do well to
hold on to them awhile. From portions
of Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indi-
ana, we also have information Of ravages
Of the disease. There can be no little
question that the pctatoe crop Of the West
vii fall from to y below the average
!ield.
So far as we learn the disease is making
greatest havoc among the finest varieties,
such as the Mexican, Prince Albert, Me-
sEanoek, Critters, etc, while the coarser
yellow meated varieties are to great ex-
tent escaping It is particularly unfor-
tunate that this scourge should appear at
the present time when work is scarce and
wages low. The potato is the staple food
Of the great mass Of cur laboring popula-
si9n and the high prices will tell most I'M
favorabIy before spring among the poorer
classes, especially Of the cities and larger
Downs.
At the east matters seem a little bet
ter. The Massachusetts Ploughman, in
a late issue, speaking of the potato rot
says:
I've hear Of but very little Of the rot
in this important root-and the yield is a
fair one. We hope this rotting scour2e
has at length had its run, and that we
may not hear of it again. till the war is
ever"
The Maine Farmer has the following in
regard to it:
There may be some deficiency in po-
tatoes, caused by the dry weather during
the last part of Jolly and through August.
Potatoes which were late planted will be
an average one. We have, as yet, heard
Of but little injury from rot"
New York, however, does not entirely
escape. From private letters from the
central portion of the State. We learn that
there is considerable complaint from the
rot. We 10 not know however bow gen
eral is its prevalence. " sa
From our foreign exchanges we learn
that considerable alarm, on account of the
blight, is being awakened throughout Ire
land, Scotland, and some parts of England
At last accounts in the first two countries
the disease is on the increase, and the
price Of wheat is already much advanced
BY the deficiency of this crop. The Dub
lin Agricultural Gazette, has from the
Northern Wing an article on the blight in
the Province of Ulster After speaking
of the difference of opinion in different
quarters of the amount of damage done in
the crop, it goes on to say:
at may be gathered, however, that the
evidences of unsoundnes exhibited every
where, throughout the wide extent of
country embraced in the reports are such
as to leave no doubt that an immense
quantity of potatoes will be lost both for
the table and for animal feeed. Tn some
quarters, indeed, the farmers seem to have
given up all hope of saving any portion of
the crop by any means they can resort to,
and they prefer to allow it to rot In the
ground rather than to waste the time they
can devote with more profit to secure their
cereal produce. Never since the years of
1916 or SAT has there been so general
failure in the potato produce as this year
exhibits"
Probably but little can now be done,
If indeed there can at any time, to stay
the ravages of the blight. We can .. "
recommend that they be. dug, SO far as
possible when the ground is dry, and the
weather pleasant, that the potato may be
as free from moisture as possible when
placed in the cellar FIR tho purpose a
half days exposure to the sun is impor-
tant If they are to Be buried select an
elevated, dry situation for the heap.