Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-04-30

BILE 10 such seasons. II would seem to me
in such cases larger seed would Withstand
the dry weather better and thus prove to be
an advantage"
Undoubtedly it would" resumes the
Major, "and this is another point think
worthy Of consideration. In cutting seed
potatoes fine, if the rains are abundant it is
all right, but in case Of drouth occurring
soon after planting, some Of the seed would
be likely to fail from lack Of moisture and
pabulum that would be provided from larger
seed"
"Now what's your opinion, Major, in re-
gard to plaEting early varieties late, say the
Early Rose-to defer planting till late in
june"
"As a rule, believe the practice a bad
one, for it has been tried with results far
from satisfactory. An experiment tried the
past season with the variety you name, turn
ed out poorly. II seems to be pretty well
proven that the best crops Of potatoes Of
any variety are grown when the seed is de-
posted early, or as soon as the ground is in
good condition for planting"
81 wish some one would explain" says
B., "why it is our varieties of potatoes now
a-days, run out so much sooner than the va
rieties cultivated twenty years ago. Now
there was the old-fashioned white, the long
red, and other varieties that produced good
crops for, don't know how many years !;
and nobody thought Of abandoning their
cultivation, on account Of their deteriorat-
ing"
"One reason" says the Deacon,"is great
deal more is being done in the way of orig
mating new varieties and this in such num-
bers that many good varieties go out of cul-
tivation to make place for newer ones, the
fame of which in these days of newspapers
and cheap printing, are heralded throughout
the land. These flourish for brief period,
when a newer claimant for popular favor
comes into note, and so the succession goes
on. Some varieties possessing an excess of
good qualities like the Early Rose and Or
ono, hold in public favor while the fame of
dozen others waxes and wanes, but these
at last are given the back seat for new and
comparatively untried Sorts So, instead Of
potatoes running ont more than formerly,
they are pushed out of cultivation to give
way to new varieties that are constantly be-
ing brought to notice. concomitant of these
times Of progress"
"Don't you think" asks the Cap'n, "that
many, if not all varieties, might be made to
yield remunerative crops much longer than
they do, by judiclous system of seed selec-
ton and cultivation 4?
81 think that is emphatically true" an
swers the Major. There are two grand
reasons why potatoes degenerate. One is
our hap-hazard manner of selecting seed
There are, according to my notion, but a
few potatoes in a hill fit for seed, especially
if they remain in the ground until the vines
are dead, A potato that is oyergrown
scraggly and hollow-hearted, is not fit fol
seed. Neither would plant those of any
size from hill where there were an undue
amount of small ones high up on the vines
Such should be particularly avoided. Some
small potatoes may be matured, but as 9
rule they are of later set, and are not suf
iciently developed for seed. Neither do
J plant the whole of the eye end of all varie
ties. The part is either discarded or cut SC
as to divide up the eyes, so as to give bu
two or three shoots to the hill. Here come
the mail so we'll adjourn."-Maine Farm
/, eT.