Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1862-01-23
THE POTATO.

ITS ORIGIN HISTORY AND CULTIVATION.
The common potato (snldnum tuberoSunl) was
found growing wild in Virginia at the time of
its first settlement, and was introduced into
Europe in the year 1545, by Sir John Haw-
kins.
Gerarde, an old English botanist, mentions
in his Herbal, published in the year 1897, the
fact of his having planted in his garden potato,
which did as well there as in its native soil
Queen Ann, wife of James l., in manuscript
account of family expenses mentions the pur-
chase of "few pounds of potatoes, at two
shillings pound"
In 1868, the Royal Society recommended
their cultivation as means OF preventing
famine.
planted in the gardens of the nobility; during
this year small portion was planted in an
open field in Lancashire.
The potato will not thive within the tropics,
except at an elevation of from three to four
thousand feet above the level of the sea their
natural climate is the temperate zone
So much for its origin and history: now for
its cultivation:
The soil best suited to potatoes is a deep
loan, but large crop has been taken from
light sand well manured. 1t is of great i'm
portance that the so ! should be deep and loose.
A good plan is to select patch from the
corn-feld, and plow it up deep and well before
it freezes and let it lay all winter. If you
wish early potatoes the next summer, plant, by
turning a furrow on to them, two or three
rows where you pillow in the fall by this plan
the potatoes will do to dig for table use some
two and half to three weeks earlier than the
others planted at the usual time. The only
disadvantage is that they must be placed nearer
together, for they are more liable to miss than
when planted in the spring.
The next spring give the patch good coat
of manure, spread all over the surface, as is
usually done for wheat. AS soon as the ground
will admit of it, commence planting by putting
the potatoes in every third furrow. Some are
very particular to lay the potatoe set with the
cut side down. From actual experiments, both
by myself and others, ] am convinced that
there is no use in this; my plan is to drop
them from basket or bucket if the ground
is in proper order the set will remain where it
is dropped. Care should be taken to drop the
sets on the side of the furow next the plowed
ground, and not more than fifteen nor less than
ten inches apart. After the sets are all in the
ground, the patch should be well narrowed
AS soon as the most forward shoots begin to
show, it should be again narrowed well.
After this use nothing but the hoe-harrow.
AS the ground was made in good order, there
is not much trouble with weeds. They should
be narrowed four or five times before tbey
come out in flower; after this they should no,
be disturbed, except to pull up any weeds
which may show themselves in the rows, and
that only to preserve them from going to seed
Some prefer planting on the sod a yer,
good crop may be obtained in this way, ant
pototoes thus planted are less liable to be in
iured by dry weather, and some think are les
liable to rot. If planted in this manner, pre-
fer to spread the manure on the sod, and pu
the potatoes in every third furrow. Wher
this plan is adopted, more hoe-harrowing anC
wedding will be required. l am opposed t.
killing or blowing potatoes plant them deep
and there is no necessity
Some think that by riding they place more o
the stalk under ground, and thereby increas,
the yield. have tried both plans in the SAM
patch and prefer the level system.
prefer good sized potatoes for planting
From experiments and observations | hav,
come to the following conclusions THAT large
potatoes produced larger potatoes, in large
quantities and of much better quality tha
the degeneracy often observed in potatoes, re
suits from using small seed that when pota
toes OF medium size are used it is better tC