Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1869-09-30
IAaritnltmral.
The Petatoc Fever.

ENtL L...L F." IA VIZ. I'D. |.. vi. o." 70 nc"
The New York Post treats of the Pota-
to fever, and speaks of 81 to 81 per pound
being paid for potatoes not a whit better
than some varieties that arc brought upon
our tables at 80 to so cents per bushel. \
year ago Sj0were paid for a single tuber
of the Early Rose, two years ago made a
speculation. All that has been produced
during the past season will be in demand
for seed at three to five dollars per bushel.
The pioneer Of the new potato is Rev.
Chauncey \. Goodrich, of Utica, \. Y.
He procured wild seed from Chill and 9TH
er localities where the plant grows wild
and produced thousands of seedlings. We
quote from the Post.
Among the first potatoes which Mr..
Goodrich distributed was the garnet Chile,
"a red potato, late in maturing, of large
size. yielding large crops, and at first af-
fected very little by the rot; subsequent
ly, however, it became nearly as liable to
disease as any of our common varieties of
similar quality, In point of excellence
as a table potato it could not be praised.
His first seedlings, some of which were bet
ter than, but not so prolific as the garnet
Chile, made so favorable an impression
upon all potato growers, that Mr.. Good
rich's seedlings were looked for with great
and growing interest, as year after year
new ones were given to the public. Just
befote flat point was reached when the
public were willing to pay handsomely
for other improved varieties, Mr.. Geod-
rich died. His stock, including some well
tested Sorts, was placed in the hands of
Mr., ID. 5. Hebron, who soon after sent out
several seedlings of Mr.. Goodrich,s, among
which Che early Goodrich and the early
Harrison were prominent, and these were
received with great favor.
The stock of 'the former were eagerly,
bought in the second or third year, for
from 50 to $12 per barrel, and the Har-'
rison sold the same year for from $40 to
SIS per barrel. The same year Mr.. Hef-
ford attempted the introduction of a seed
lingtcf the garnet Chile, raised by Mr.. AL
bert Breese, of Hubbardton, VT, the stock
of which he had bought. He offered all
but those which he expressly reserved for
his own planting. for $40 a bushel, but
without finding purchasers, although the
pofate had been tested by good judges the
previous year. Finally, however, a pur-
chaser was found at about the price named.
Mr.. Ii. G. Bliss had for some years been
importnesseme of the choicest new En-
gish seedlings, and selling them in pack
ages of three or four pounds, sent by mail,
post paid, forS1 per package. The year
before, having to spare of certain kinds
which he wished to plant himself, he adj
versssed. them for sale at 81 per pound,
and found that this high price rather in
creased than diminished his sales. 10 "a
NJ. Hetfrun caused Mr.. Bliss 10 sell his
reserve stock Of Early Rose at 81 per
pound! Not long after. Mr.. Best. of Uti-
ca, paid $50 per bushel for, we believe,
one hundred bushels of the stock sold by
Hebron to the Conovers. of Monmouth
county ; and soon after this 500 per bush
ell. and even more was offered. and per-
haps paid, for single bushels, and the price
rose' from 81 TO S per pound. g -xsg
This was the beginning of the potato fe-
YER. The Early Rose did admirably 1t
proved itself very early, healthy, very good
and prolific. The crop sold at about SIS
per bushel, at which rate one might well
AFFORD to PaySl00. or even 5000. per bush
CT Tor seed. reFen though the yield was
very Moderate. Every body was satisfied
here We see the method in the mad
ness effh9ss people who pay extraordina-
ry Rrlees fer new varieties of potatoes.
The excitement did not sron here. The
originator of the Early Rose attended the
meeting of the Massachusetts Horicultural
Society last year with some of his seed
lings. NO. 2" aud mo. A." and they
were greatly admired for their beauty.
fof ffcsesdusky Jumps have rare, beauty n
the trained eye. He would set no rriee'
but their: fame spread, and nowhere was
the desire to possess them so great as about
his own home. A neighbor who had rails
eide few on trial, sold one or two potatoe
at 500 each. and this we believe fxet
the price at which Mr.. Breesee was viii
Eng olsell a limited number of his choic
est kinds.
An interesting story might be told o
howsth famous farm was ~thronged, am
the prowlers by night and day sought t
steal the precious tubers: OF the vigils o
the female s~sentries who watched the buriet
wealth during Mr.. Bresee's absence5ane
il would be no fiction.