Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1864-04-05
Early Potatoee.

Ther' is u large class Of persons who value
good, well-ripened early potatoes, more than
any other vegetable. Tn potato is a universal
layorite We have never met more than half q
dozen people who did not like it. IL is easily
raised, cheap, and has Just about the proper
proportion OF buK and nutritious properties to
make it one Of the most wholesomc articles Of
diet that come upon tho table. In cases of
sickness. where the patient is conyalescent, a
roasted potato that is nealy and eaten 4s soon
as cooked, Is highly %rellshed, and is us harmless,
perhaps, as any food that can be taken.
AS the common, everyday food Of the table,
The potato stands Eext to bread. When we'll
cooked, most children vii. take half their entire
food Of the potato, especially If they can have q
little milk or cream with tho mash, and will be-
come vigorous and Tree from humors after a
years use of them, cooked in various forms.
Every family,-ln the country at least
should have them plentiiully by the first Of Au-
gust, and by taking some pains may be IN to use
them by the fourth Of July. The first thing t.
be nsldered is the soil. 1t should BIZ a com
paratlyely dry aud sandy soil, rather than a wet
black loan. A fresh, or nelo soil is greatly pre-
ferable-one recently covered with grass, O.
what is still better, scrub oaks, sweet fern,
blackberry and huckleberfy bushes, Such a soil
when well plowed and narrowed, will be light
and will abound with the alkalles and alkaline
earths that the potato requires, The situation
selected should BE- an open, but a warm one
along the side OF an old fence or wall, where
bushes have been growing for bali a century, or
less, and exposed TO the morning sun. On such
a soil, aud in such a situation, the plauts will
1891. ,..i, nd o..,,n D., ,,,V,u,t, ....lI I
if the variety planted be a good one, the tubers
grown will Rave a sweet and Agreeable flavor.
Some of the varieties used for early planting are
the Jackson White, White ChenGagO, which
come quite early, the Early Blue, and Others.
Burr says tho Ash Leaned Kidney, is one of the
earliest varieties, and that the E0riy Blue is
one of the earliest of the garden potatoes, of
flee quality, and one of the best for forcing for
early crops. Ii the ground vas not prepared
last fall, it should be made ready as soon as the
frost is out, so that it can be plowed six inches
deep, and the potatoes planted.
In order TO facilitate the crop, some persons
set u barrel OF seed by the kitchen stove about
the middle Of March, where they remain until
sprouts have started half an inch IN length. In
this case tho top OF the potatoes must tie cover
ed with loan or u cloth 10 keep out the light.
Others lay a bushel or two Of seed upon grass
ground, in some warm spot, and cover them with
horse manure sufficiently deep to keep them
warm. They will sprout readily in shiI condi.
ton if they are kept moist and warm, and can
bo got at to plant more easily than iIoma barrel.
Others, still, who only require a few, start them
IN hot beds.
Planting should take place justas soon as the
soil IS dry enough 10 admit of working Il. Plant
il there s a dry surface sufficient to cover with,
even if the frost is a foot deep below. Before
planting, prepare liberal holes and ill them with
a shovelfui of hose stable manure. Cover this
with u sprlnkling Of fresh, damp mold, and
place the - set or zee on this, and cover three
inches deep. Mr.. j. Knight says that if the
= sets - arc placed with their leading buds up.
ward, a few and very strong early stems will BIZ
produced but ii the ? slllOn be reversed many
weak rnu later shoots will arise, and not only
the e%arliness, but the quality of the produce bl
deprecated
BY putting the above suggestions in practice
every person may expect a fine dish of nearly
rlpened potatoes Tor his Fourth Of July dinner,
With his roasted lamb and green peas, aud an
abundant supply after the goth OF the same
month. How can the farmer add TO the com
fort and health of his family ia a better way
Nsc England Farmer.