Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-03-16
Farm, Garden, Kitchen and Shop.

the vines of the potato, but the cult
vatOrs and the buyers, has made its
appearance in some parts of the coun-
try, aud threatens serious consequent
ces to those who are affected by 1t.
1t is quite similar, in its general char
acteristics, to the tulip disease. which
prevailed in Holland in the early part
of the seventeenth century, spreading
over the whole kingdom, affecting the
inhabitants far more than the precious
bulbs. While this disease was at its
height, one person was known to In
vest his whole fortune, 100000 forms
(about S50,000,) in the purchase OF
forty roots. A writer of that period
gave the following inventory of arti-
Giles that could be bought for one tu-
lip root 80 casks of wheat 4 casks
Of rye; 4 fat oxen; fat swine; II
fat sheep; , hogsheads of wine; 4
TINS of beer; 2 tons of butter; 1000
pounds Of cheese; complete bed a
suit of clothes and a silver drinking
cup; the whole valued at $500 for
ms. "#
The new potato disease is very like
that which spread over a great part
Of our own country some thirty years
ago, when every other man, who had
a small patch of land, took it. into his
head that he could make his fortune
by raising the Morus MuLicauLiS, and
when thousands ruined themselves
aud their neighbors, to whom they had
communicated the disease. Fabulous
prices were paid for bundle of twigs
cut from the mulberry tree, and the
products Of the cuttings were sold for
a large advance, until at length the
bubble burst, and then men wonder
ed, as they have a thousand times
since, how they could have made such
fools of themselves.
The accounts which we have OF the
sale of some new varieties of the po-
tato read very much like the story of
the Dutch bulb, or the history of the
MOrlH MuItcduliS mania. We do not
wish to inoculate our readers with
this potato virus, and we shall there
fore neither name the kinds of potato
which communicate the disease, nor
the persons who have them for sale.
We write by way Of warning, and
suppress all names, for there is a sort
OF fascination in the bare mention of
the thing, and we do not desire to
bring any OF our readers within the
charmed circle. We give some eX-
tracts from our exchanges indicating
the influence Of the potato disease:
One paper, speaking Of the sale OF
new variety, says sixteen potatoes
brought $S25, twelve potatoes brought
S6l5, one brought So and one was
traded for a good COW valued at $50.
Another paper tells of man in
Vermont who " bought one eye OF a
potato, and raised from it, this sea
son, potatoes that he has sold for $3.50,
and has three left. Eight were bought
by one man for $400. MerinO bucks
at from $1,000 to $4,000, were com
mon in Vermont a few years ago, but
they were small potatoes beside those
of to-day"
A correspondent of the American
Farmer writes Having returned, q
few days since, from visit to Yer
mont, where this variety originated,
have determined to report to yor
some facts which came under my ob
scrvation, believing they will prove
OF considerable interest to your agri
cultural readers. 1t is well known
that the originator has several bushel,
of the - on hand. He refuses
however, to dispose OF them, and has
paid large sums to secure the prOduc
of the few which he carelessly gave
away two years ago. | saw nea
cottage house. entirely new, and half
an acre of ground, located in the hear
of a flourishing village in northern
Vermont, valued at $4,000, and
should Judge it well worth the money
which the owner offered, free anC
clear, for seven pounds of this variety
and was refused. | was also showl
two tubers, which a young farmer ex
hibited, for which he paid 5000 il
greenbacks. These two instances
know to be strictly true, and ar
probably the highest quotations OF
record for potatoes"
We wish to put our readers Oh
their guard against being led into tn
folly Of paying such extravagant prices
or anything approaching them, for
few potatoes, which may, indeed, b.
greatly superior to those in common
use, but which have, and can have, Il,
such intrinsic value as is attached t,
them. Somebody must be egregiouS
ly taken in when a single potato i
sold for $50 and, although those whC
purchase the present season may ge
their money back, it will be by takin|
in some one else, for the time mus
soon come when these aristocrati
tuberS will find their level alongsid
Of dozen common potatoes. If W,
had fortune to make, we wOul,
much prefer to acquire it in som,
other way than by keeping alive sucI
AMANDA as the tulip, the Morus Ma,
hcauiiS, or the potato disease.
sThe following amusing incident is related a
having occurred in connection with the tulip ms
MIA in Hollands:
"A wealthy merchant, who prided himself nc
little on his rare tulips, received on one occa
sion intelligence of very valuable consignment
OF merchandise from the Levant, brought to hiT
by sailor, who came to the counting-roon
The merchant, to reward the sailor for bringin
the news presented him with fine herring
fish at that time highly esteemed, and of whic
the sailor happened TO be exceedingly fond. Tn
sailor had also, as it appears, great partiait
for onions, and seeing a small root, very like a
onion, lying on the counter of the rich trade
and thinking it would be more appropriate as
relish Tor his herring than lying among silks an
satins he slyly slipped it into his pocket withot
thought that It would ever be missed or that
could be ofany value TO any one but himself. II
got off with his prize, and proceeded to the qua
10 eat his breakfast. Hardly had he left th
countng-room before the merchant missed b
Of In