Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-09-14
CULTURE OF THE POTATO.

The pioneer settler of our land found a
virgin soil which brought forth rank har
vests, when transformed from the wilder
ness in which he found it, Little was he
obliged, and still less did he think or rota-
ton Of crops, or feed cattle and sheep to
make manure to replenish hungry soil.
Not so, however, with succeeding genera
tions selt-supporting system Of farming
must be adopted The land must now be
fed as well as burthcned with harvests. \
succession of crops has drawn from its
once apparently ineXhaustble resources of
richness now he is obliged to return to
the soil the necessary material to furnish
the elements necessary to feed the growing
crop. As different crops draw from the
soil different elements, it is found beneiici-
al TO make iudicious rotation of the same
Certain crops better adapt themselves to
particular soils than to bc raised indscrim-
inately on all soils. For example a sandy
loan of medium tcnacity, neither wet nor
dry, is well adapted to the following crops:
Potatoes sorghum, Indian corn, tobacco,
wheat, and grass Adopting the foregoing
crops for a rotation, and in the order here
named, | will cndcavor to give a brief out
line of the treatment of the same.
PoruoEs- Years agonc potatoes We're
grown with little care on nearly all soils,
but disease and the rot have materially al
tered the necessary treatment due this
crop. have found that potatoes give the
best returns planted on sod the soil similar
to that mentioned above.
Preparation Of the SoH-As early in
spring after the ground is settled and dry
enough to work, pow with the lap furrow
10 the depth Of 10 inches, laying the turrow
slices smooth and true make Of equal
width After laying a day or two to dry
and settle, apply manure broadcast at the
rate Of five cords to the acre the best is
that made principally of black muck work
cd over and mixed with horse manure and
litter IN the hog pen, in the proportion Of
two OF muck to one OF manure, this should
bc thoroughly dccOmpCscd, and best pre-
pare under cover some months before us
ing spread it evenly over the ground, and
with drag harrow mix it with the soil,
finishing off with fine tooth harrow. The
potato being of somewhat coarse growth,
we are apt to plant them I ground but lily
prepared, which may be one reason or cause
of their degeneration
Seed In selecting seed reference is had
to the object Of the crop, whether for mar
ket or domestic use if the former the de-
mand will rule the variety if the latter,
the palate No tubers should be used eth
CT over or under grown i'll size. A medium
size suitable for the table and perfectly
ripe will be found the best not only for the
first but succeeding crops. Such are cut
into good sized sets Of one or two ewes
each, keeping the root ends by themselves;
if kept on the ground they may be prepar-
ed at leisure during the last Of winter, or
before the weather will admit of early
spring work. In saving seed it should be
selected at the time of harvesting the
tairest and best are the most proper, and
instead of deteriorating, if this course is
followed mp, and Improvement is the neces-
sary result
Pia1ttjng.-- Lay off the land into rows 81
feet apart with light pow, and into the
turrows strcw tobacco stalks cut into
lengths of to inches This have found
to produce the fairest and best potatoes of
any fertilizer in the hill or drill, they being
uniformly smooth and sound On this drop
the potato set at Il uniform distance of
about one foot; cover with coverer for
the purpose drawn by one or two horses
this raises slight ridge for the rows and
gives a uniform covering. Early planting
bcst--ln April, if the weather will admit.
CUtir0ttng.-As soon as the tops make
their appearance generally above ground, |
90 through with the horse cultivator, fol- !
lowed by the hand hoe to stir the soil and
destroy any weeds around the young plants. /
Three similar dressings, raising the ridges /
but slightly previous to their blossoming, |
is sufficient any weeds that may show
themselves after, should be pulled out by |
hand.
HGrresting-Th crop should be harvest
ed as soon as ripe not left in the grOuud /
through the fall rains. They are ripe when |.
the tops are died down, and can be pulled |
without bringing but few, if any, tubers /
with them. The digging on a small scale .
Is best done with the potato hook on a |
larger by plow let them lie to dry, SO
that the dirt will fall off, when they should .
be picked up carried under cover where
they may be spread on the ground and
have free circulation of air, and allowed
to remain few weeks, when they are as.
sorted and put in bins Of moderate capacity.
III a cellar where the temperature is uni
form and as low as consistent without
freezing. WN. Ii. WHITE Country Gent.