Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1862-05-16
AGRICULTURAL.
Potatoes--SmaIl or Large, Whole or
Euf

Nufs
"Pig, and he hui end, by all means,
says one. "Cot pota'oes. Il you want L
economizc." says another. Il is Of n
consequence" says third. they wi
rot any way" says fourth.
There i great variety Of practice whicl
shows that this very useful vegetable vii
bear more abuse Than slmost any other croi
grown Upon the farm. The writer has tri
ed almost all methods and has settled dawI
upon whole potatoes, aniuch to an inch ant
a balflin diameter, as, on the whole, the mos
desirable for seed, taking into account the
Immediate crop anil the future welfare o
the tubes. Ii we look merely at the i'm
mediate crop, we can doubtless get more
from given amount Of seed 20 cut them
into single eyes. than TO plant them whole
But we have very strong suspicion that this
cutting weakens the stamina Of the plant
and if tsllowed up with any variety for i
long series Of years would run it out. We
ought to follow such method, it we can
discover it, as will keep the plants in the
highest health, and make the crop sure and
reinunerative.
We have grown good potatoes from the
smallest seed, a half inch or less in damet-
or, but Il was 1nly upon very rich soil and
with extra care. The objections to using
large potatoes whole, are the extra expense
for seed, as it requires from twelve to e.
teen bushels to the acre. and the over stock
ing Of every Hill tending to produce great
many small potatoes. Tie medium size re-
moves these objections, furnishes just about
seed enough, stocks the hills sufficiently,
and preserves the health Of the plant This
practice we have followed for several years
and on the whole, il gives the best results.
IT we admit the theory to be correct on
which the practice is founded it would not
follow that it would in every case preserve
the crop from disease. Almost every varie-
ty has been subject TO cutting and to dis
ease for many years, and no one can be per-
fectly sure that he plants sound healthy
timber If the size il every thing desirable.
If the constitution has been weakened in
any way it is much more likely 10 be ininr-
ed by the hot, wet weather of August. than
a strong plant would be- The universal
prevalence of the rot is probably owing
quite as much 10 the treatment Of seed, as
TO soil and climatic influences
A report in the Springfield Republican
of the doings Of Farmers Club, recently
held at Chicopee farm house, nclud the
following on the subject of potato raising
One Of the party a large grower of pota-
toes, and who has At present about 1900
bushels in store, gave his experience as fol-
lows He prefers corn ground that has
been MANFRED the year previous. Strong
manure, he said, makes diseased potatoes.
After blowing uninanufed ground, he mark
out the rows, four at time. In these rows
he drops single pieces ofeot potatoes. eight
teen inches apart. A medium sized potato
is enough for four hills, or about six bush
els OF seed to the acre. Large seed pota-
toes give about onefourth more product at
harvest than small ones. Small potatoes
have about as many eyes as large ones, but
the sprouts from those eyes are not as large
or vigorous. The potatoes are covered alb
out two inches deep.
The potato vegetables slowly, and usually
weeds start before the POTATOES. When the
potatoes have sprouted so as generally to
show themselves above the ground, hoe
ing machines is introduced, which covers
the potatoes some two inches deeper AMI
destroys the weeds like a plough. Sub
sequenlv the potatoes are hoed twice and
receive no further care I'll digging. The
common yield is about two hundred bushels
per acre. lie digs with hook, and from
thirty TO SIS ~ bushels per day 10 a man.
Davis Seedlings are his favories.