The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1872-04-04
Potatoes.

Que of the principal causes of the risk
attending the farmers labor, is found in
the uncertainty of his crops. So it has
been the practice of wise farmers to di-
vide their labors up into variety of pro-
ducts, and thus to lessen the risk upon
any one. At the same time they have
taken the greatest care to provide them
selves with the best of seed, at whatever
price. And still, in spite of the better
cultivation, more liberal manuring, and
more intelligent selection of varieties, we
hear continued complaints of failure, es-
pecially in regard to potatoes. Those
among the Pioughnaan's Massachusetts,
readers who planted potatoes twenty. five
years ago, know that there has been
complete change of varieties many times
since then a change oftener and oitener
repeated as time goes on.
Twenty five years ago an English white
potato was planted for early use, a deep
blue or calico for Winter use, and long
red for late Spring. They were all good
potatoes, with slight deduction for the
seed end of the last, and they were plant
ed year after year without failure of COM
plaint Then came the rot, with the de-
struction of the old varieties, and the ne
cessity for new, to take their place
First came the Davis Seeding" a
coarse, strong potato, which has contrived
to survive our mismansement, thoagh &C.
casionally failing ;and the "Dover," first
rate variety, long since dead. To them
have succeeded numberless "White" and
"Reds, ""Garnets" and "Cuzcos," ""Good-
rich" and Early Rose," with others still
in the state of advertising at So pound,
all Of which have passed or are passing
from "prime" to "iair," then to ''not so
good this year" and so to worthless" :"
Doubtless more than one of the thinking
readers of the Ploughman has asked him
self why it is that these potatoes will not
bear replanting, as did the older varieties
first named. The Ploughman will at
tempt to give reasonable answer to the
question, founded partly upon theory,
partly upon experience-which is merely
theory wrought out in the ground.
A potatoe ripcned, and newly dug from
the ground is plump, mealy, and dry
nearly pure starch If kept in the ground
below the frost, it does not sprout, but
remains in this condition until warm
weather. But if harvested and placed in
the cellar, it soon begins to change. 1t
becomes less mealy, is more heavy, and
although it weighs less it is watery. The
starch which made it light has disappear
ed, and has been changed by chemical ac-
tion into sugar ard water. The potato
has ceased to be edible, and has become
fit for supporting the new life that is about
beginning Then the shoots start and
draw upon the tuber for their support
! ct is a curious fact that if the tuber, in
growing, is exposed to the rays of the
sun, the shoots start almost as soon as the
potato is ripened)
AS the shoots push out further and be-
gin to give out moisture, the tuber shriv-
els, and finally is nearly hollow, the whole
of its interior having gone TO the suppor,
of the new plant. At this time the roots
given off where the shoot came out Of the
potato, strike of into the soil and prepare
to support the life of the shoot We no
tice, also, that when potato is cut fol
planting, the cut surface undergoes such
a change after it is planted, that it doe:
not change with the rest Of the inside but
becomes hard like the skin.
1t would seem from these observation
that the interior of the old plant is of vita
importance to the new, when it is getting
settled in the world, and that in the cas-,
of cutting especial pains is taken to pre-
serve it from change or loss.
"But we have changed all that" ",
take the valuable seeding, cut it into a
many pieces as there are eyes, plant eacl
detached fragment (half of which neve
would have pushed at all, naturally, i
hot bed, or in a rich soil, raise one hun
dred pounds out Of stock that shoul,
have raised only six or eight, and wher
we have got the crop we divide that il
the same manner.
This may be excellent physiology fo
the potato, but nowhere in the anima
kingdom do we know such al exception
to the rule that over Breeding destroy
the vitelity of the off spring as well as tn