The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1864-04-29
farmers department.

$500
EAprY PorArors There is n large
class Of persons who value good, we'll
ripened early potatoes more than any
other vegetable The potatoc is uni
versal favorite We have never met
more than half dozen people who did
not like it. IT is easily raised, cheap,
and has Just about the proper proper
ton of btdk and nutritious properties
to make it one Of the most wholesome
articles of diet that come upon the Ia
BILE. In cases of sickness, where the
patient is convalescent, q roasted pota-
toe that is mealy and eaten rs soon as
cooked, is highly relishod and is as
harmless, perhaps, as any food that
can be taken.
As the common, everyday food of
the table, the potatoe stands next to
bread. When well cooked, most chill
dren will take half their entire food of
the potatoe, especially if they can have
little milk or cream with the mash,
and viii become vigorous and free from
humors after n years use OF them,
cooked in various forms,
Every family-in the country at
least, should have them plentifully by
the first Of August, and by taking some
pains may begin to use them by the
fourth of July. The first thing to be
considered is the soil 1t should be q
comparatively dry and sandy soil,
rather than a wet black loan. Afresh
or reto soil is greatly prcfcrable-one
recently covered with grass, or what
is still better, scrub oaks, sweet fern,
blackberry and huckleberry bushes.
Such soil when well plowed and har-
rowed, viii be light and viii abound
with the alkalies and alkaline earths
that the potato requires, The situa-
ton selected should be an open, but
warm one--along the side of an old
fence or wall. where bushes have been
growing for half a century, or less, and
exposed to the morning sun On such
Il soil, and in such n situation, the
plants will start carly and come to ma
turity rapidly; and if the variety plant
ed be q good one, the tubers grown
will have n sweet and agreeable flavor.
Some of the varieties used for early
planting are the jackson White, White
Chenoago which come quite early, the
Early Blue, and others. Burr says the
Ash Ledred K5dneH is one of the eari-
est varieties, and that the Early Blue
is one of the earliest Of the garden po-
tatoes, of fine quality and one OF the
best for forcing for early crops. lfthe
ground was 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 plant
ed.
In order to facilitate the crop, some
persons set barrel of seed by The
kitchen stove about the middle Of
March, where theyremain until sprouts
have started half an inch in length.
In this case the top Of the potatoes
must be covered with loan or a cloth
to keep out the light Others lay Il
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 III this condition if they
are kept moist and warm, and can be
got at to plant more easily than from
a barrel Others, still, who only re-
quire few, start them in hot beds.
Planting should take place just as
soon as the soil is dry enough to admit
of working it. Plant if there is a dry
surface sufficient to cover with, even if
the frost is a foot deep below Before
planting, prepare liberal holes and fill
them with a shovelful of horse stable
manure. Cover this with a sprinkhna
of fresh damp mold, and place the set
or seed on this, and cover three inches
deep Mr.. j. Knight says that if the
"sets" are placed with their leading
buds upward, a few and very strong
early stems viii be produced; but i
the position be reversed many weak
and later shoots viii arise, and not
only the oarliness, but the quality o.
the produce be deprecated.
BY putting the above suggestions il
practice, every person may expect Q
fine dish of nearly ripened potatoes
for his Fourth Of july dinner, Will
his roasted lamb and green peas, and
an abundant supply after the Doth o.
the same month. How can the farm.
er add to the comfort and health o.
his family in better way?-Nao Eng
idnd Farmer.