The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1871-12-21


lesser ones between them. The blossoms
are white, violet, or pale. The tubers are
rounded or oblong their exterior is smooth,
rough, or .drty, and in color, white, yellow,
pink, purple, blue, black, and spotted The
eyes OF buds differ in form, position, and
color. The manner III which The tu9ers are
arranged is different, either in circles, pyra-
mds, or irregularly. Some varieties are
prolific i'll flowers and seed balls, others de
fcient"
VARIETIES.
The varieties, the potato are almost mum
Derless. More than one hundred years ago,
two hundred varieties were cultivated in
the Horticultural Gardens of London. The
Rev. Mr.. Goodrich il saio to have originated
$4,000 kinds, most Of which, however,
proved unworthy of cultivation. He saved
only about a dozen kinds, as being at all de-
sirabe. The duration OF the life Of a variety
or full vitality, is not definitely known, and
depends. doubtless, greatly upon the treat
meut it receives
The Germans limit it at about fourteen
wears, and among American farmers the be-
lief is prevalent that variety will sustain
its full vigor but a short time, and few sorts
continue to be cultivated more than ten or
fifteen years. The varieties of the potato
differ greatly in the foliage, shape of the
tuber, time Of growth, and produetiveness.
NEW VARIETIES.
These are produced by sowing the seeds
from the balls. The potato balls should be
gathered when perfectly ripe, and the seeds
rubbed ont with the hands and sowed SINH
lar to the seeds of the cucumber. Al the
end Of the second year some idea may be
formed Of the value OF the new varieties.
They will bear no special resemblance to
their parents, and instances are on record
where out Of three hundred seedlings. not
one resembled the parents
The mixing OF potatoes in the hill while
growing, is believed in by some but it is to
be seriously doubted, and no reliable in
stance is upon record, that cannot be ac-
counted for by cross breeding, or by freaks
OF Nature known as ''sporting' is, a
some former type, ancestors perhaps of the
variety that thus "sports.' Notified varie-
ties are more given to sporting than pota-
Toes OF one color
The catalogues cnumerate more than five
hundred varieties. The same potato is
known, oft times, in different localities by
different names. The 0rono, for instance,
is known by several synonyms, or mis-
manners in various localities, as jackson
White" "Foote," "Snow Ball, ''Ordway
Seeding, and. "White Mountain" Some
varieties are often re-christened with 4
fancy title, and sold at fancy prices.
EXTENT OF cULTIvArI0N.
Throughout the United States there are
annually cultivated about one million acres
England plants about five hundred thousand
acres more each year than the United States
Austria, three hundred thousand, and France
one million.
The rot appeared in Ireland, and caused
much suffering, in 1922. The rot was cou-
fined principally to the potatoes after they
were stored, and it re-appeared In 1881. In
1888 it appeared in the fields, and hardly
enough was saved for seed. In the mean
while the disease was disseminating itself
over the world, and battling the researches
Of scientific men to arrest its ravages, or
determine its cause. In 1916 a weeks time
was sufficient to ruin the entire crop. 1t is
claimed that It's pathway is visible as it fol-
lowed the trade winds, and ocean currents,
from Chile and Bogota to England by the
way Of st. Helena and Madeira; and from
England Oh the highway of nations to this
country.
The detoriation of the potato was observ-
ed in Prussia, more than sixty years ago.
USES OF THE POTATO.
The potato possesses great value as an
article of diet, as it contains hydrogen, car
bon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulphur, iron,
and lime, all articles Of nutrition.
1t is also valuable as d medicine. 1t has
great etlcacY-ether raw or cooked-when
used ior scurvy. An extract Of its leaves
is powerful narcotic, servicable in chronic
rheumatism, and painful affections of the
stomach and uterus. The starch OF the po-
tato is used extensively in the arts. 1t is
used in the preparation on calicoes, and is
often sold under the name of English arrow
root Sometimes it is used instead of -four
in thickening soups and sauces. BY heat
starch may be converted into dextrine. Po
tato starch acted upon by sulphuric acid,
produces grape sugar. Alcohol may be
made from potatoes. A French writer says,
one hundred pounds of potatoes will afford
thirty pounds of spirit. Even frosted pota-
toes are employed for the production of ar
dent spirits. Three and a half bushels afford
the same quantity Of spirit as one Of malt.
The refuse of potatoes from starch making
are used for cleaning wooden cloths without
iniurng their colors, and the liquor decant-
ed from the starch is excellent for cleaning
silk.
The Mexcans and Peruvians are said to
have preserved potatoes for years by ex-
posing them to frost, and drying them in
the sun. In some parts of the West the
potato has become a naturalized weed, from
living over winter in the ground. Some Of
farmers say that it is the worst weed they
have.
French writer says, ''the use OF pota-
toes as the sole ailment of certain popula-
tions, is one great cause of the decrease in
stature of the human species. For instance,
in France the height Of the soldiers in 1889
was feet inches; in 1923 it was 5 feet 3
inches, and now is only feet" Liebig
says: ''In Germany where the people feed
almost exclusively upon potatoes, the dimi-
mutton in statue is still more marked" We
think it far more probable that the selection
of the tallest men for the army, leaving
only those of low stature to procreate, has
much more to do with the decrease of stat
ure, than potato diet.