The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-02-24

GETTING OCT THE SPROUIS.-lue
ground being prepared, rows or hills
opened, the sprouts are set q foot apart
and covered with fine horse manure aud
then with earth. If ashes or ashes and
plaster are used, then slight sprinkling
of either before covering, to be repeated
as top-dressing when the sprouts ap-
pear above ground. The ground must
be kept In fine, mellow condition at
the sides of the rows, and well drawn
up to the vines as they advance in
growth.
KINDS To PLANT.-For early planting
l recommend the Early Goodrich. They
are very early and very productive
quality fine-cook dry and mealy even
before ripe; product with ordinary care,
300 to 400 bushels per acre; with extra
care, 400 to 500 bushels.
FOrlste planting the Harrison" This
is fine late variety, keeps vel, like the
Goodrich, and is still moro productive
than the Goodrich. have raised three
pecks from less than q pound Of seed,
aud have reliable information that five
bushels were raised from fine ordinary
sized potatoes during the past season /;
product from 400 to 500 bushels per acre:
with care 600 bushels.
said the sets should not be placed
less thar one foot apart in the rows,
and am not sure but it would be bet
ter to set them IL or IL inches apart,
especially for tho "Early Goodrich" and
"Harison." To plant an acre in rows
three feet apart, sets placed one foot
apart in the rows, it takes 1880 sets;
and the same number of sets to plant
an acre in hills three feet apart each
way, three sets in hill. If we allow a
pound of potatoes to give sixty eyes,
we get about 1900 sets from bushel, or
at the rate of four and q half bushels Of
seed to plant an acre. As it takes Ia
$40 sets TO plant ansacre if we CT only
one pound Of potatoes from each sci, the
yield will be $50 bushels per acre; if =
lbs, 500; if 3 lbs, $50; if lbs, 1000
bushels per acre. As ] have repeatedly
dug lbs. from single set, being ut the
rate of 1000 bushels per acre, the
question arises how can We plant and
cultivate l4520 sets so as to produce
lbs. each, or as near it as pOssiblei
Thomas Bridgeman, the author of the
young Gardeners Assistant, under the
head of POTATOES, says: Potatoes be-
ing Of such extensive utility, expedi-
cuts have been contrived with view
to find out the best methods to prepare
the seed. In many parts of England
the farmers never plant them Uhole.
They take the potatoes as they come to
hand, aud in cutting them take care TO
have two good eyes to each set. The
small potatoes are deprived of the
sprout or nose end, as il is generally con-
sidered that q redundancy of Dyes cx-
hausts the set and produces weak plants,
which are not calculated to yield full
crop. l have frequently known from
five to six hundred bushels raised from
an acre with small potatoes alone cut
in this way. Some prefer planting the
sets Immediately after they are cut; the
better way is to get them cut q week
before. the time of plantidg and lay
them out on barn or garret floor to
dry" He further adds: "The mode of
planting is in drills thirty inches asun-
der, sets dropped six to eight inches
apart"
Now, in my opinion, here is where the
mistake lies, for find my crops have
increased since reduced the eyes one
to set--and Increased the distance be-
tween the rows, as well as the distance
between the seeds; and | therefore lay
il down as a rule, first, no more than
one good eye to set: second, drill at
least three feet apart; third, sets at
least foot apart, perhaps better at 10
or l6 inches; fourth, ground cultivated
deep, kept fine and clean and we'll work
ed up to the plants as they grow.
If 600 bushels of potatoes can he rails
ed on an acre in England, some pro-
gressive Yankee will yet find ont q
plan to grow 1000 bushels on an acre
in America; and he who does will de-
serve a patent, besides the thanks Of
every man and woman, and will prove
himself beneiactor to the world.
j. G. THOMPSON,
N Germantown Telegraph.