Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-05-08

November, which il the time when winter
usually sets 10, until the first of January
NAV Be kept on the barn floor. and covered
with straw. or slowed awav in apv other
i place around the building secure from frost.
And there are on maay farms sheltered To-
cations such As the south side of 4 hill, or
under the shelter of some woods where
root cellar might be made very oheaply, 60.
cure from frost, and answer every purpose
To those who have built barns with cellars
beneath. storage room will very readily
suggest itself.
4 When 1 sneak of root crops I mean more
particularly potatoes. turnips--both the
ruta bagas and the common Enolish flat tur.
uip.-msu0el worzel beets and carrots.
/ don't assume the posit,ou of An instruct.
or 10 raising the different kinds Of roots ;
but | ,vrH venture to tell YOU about nv way
Of raising them. and INV suooess and seem
10 have batter wav than soma have adopt.
ed.
After trvine nv plap n YOU can cooyiuce
me that YOU can succeed better to follow
your own | shall gladly adop. yours and
feel myself your debtor.
In all my acauaintances that have ever
made beginning in root culture iud but
very few II NAV say none) who are willing
to exchange aud return to their former sys.
| TEN.
| Since my own recollection. in England the
, farmers that then cultivated Eve or ten acres
! of roots now raise double and treble that
amount, 50. confident are they Of their great
! value for stock. In showing nv manner Of
. | Al n
thing that will be Of interest about raising
potatoes, since most farmers have had more
experience with them than myself-yet |
: will venture to recall my experience.
e Potatoes will grow on nearly all kinds oil
, land, from strong soil to both sandy and
a Qrayelly soils. Were to choose in regard
D to my soil, | would select a nice loan
a rather light but il often happens thai
l.. we have more than one object 10 view il
! raising potatoes.--oue 10 secure the pota.
| toes. another TO cultivate and subdue the
3 | land.
8 I plow NV ground to the depth of about
/ six inches after the frost is out of th,
ground. at INV first opportunity. and let il
remain a short time to dry aud apply a Goa,
of manure To the surface. generaily about
30 loads per acre. after which | harrow 4
tborou0hly then take a plow and mark fur
rows feet apart this Is essential in orde
10 successfullv cultivate them. In maxim,
the furrows / would run the plow as deeI
as might he dome without turning nm the ol,
sod
would nlant the saed In the bottom q
: the burrows. droppipO them about 12 or Il
Q inches anart according 70 the size Of the ton
8 generally grown bv different kinds of pota
6 toes and II the 6eIa had horne cron in th
o year preyious. I would run the plow n liz
b tlo deeper than | would on greeusward,
= After the seed is dropped it can be cover
q ed either bv nlowino close to the turro,
and ,urn;nc n liOht fnrrov over the seed q
: bv running a harrow upside down and 90
inc over he fnrrows crossw;se. or thew ca
= he covered with the hoe
e As soon as the plants are nm two or thre
o inches would take cultiyator aud ru
. between the rows aud spread it enough 4
le the outside teeth will run close to the plan
y but not close enough to disturb it. Th
y will leave the surface nearly level. Ate
70 the nlant grows a little larger / 90 throuo
e the rows again with the culiyator las l haV
d no horse hoel. have fitted two half.iuc
" boards TO the outside Of the outside teeth 9
l. the cultiyator, something similar to doubl
or plow. This runs about three inches deeI
Is Is and slides all Of the loose dirt or soil wit
u all of the manure around the potato jul
!, where il is wanted.
II When the tops are about foot high
: take the plow aud plow furroW each wa
o. o to the potatoes Tnen would 90 throug
II for the FIRST time with the hoe after this
Il would not disturb them any more until dig
pine time; and in fair year | should 81
u. pect 400 bushels per acre, and more som
= years