Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-12-03

Oflate years the potato crop has been one
of the most profitable of farm crops in the
East, and this chiefly artists from tho fact
that il is somewhat difficult to keep any
great quantity of them. Thus only 50
many are grown as can be preserved, and
as the accommodations are limited there is
no glut in the market, as there is with
things that are grown and must he sent to
the market at once. OF course there are
times when potatoes rule low. This is
apt TO be the c.se with early ones, grown
especially for early use, and which follow
the same law that rules in transient vegata-
bes. So also with those who grow pota-
toes and have no convenience for storing
them. These have to market in the fall,
and have to take whatever price may rule
for them. Those who have good cellars
under their barns, or in any place safe
from frost aud yet cool and dry, can gen.
orally make potato growing pays and these
are usually the ones who do.
In Old times a large quantity OF potatoes
were stored out of doors in the open ground.
They were arranged in long ridges, not in
great bulk, as even mass of potatoes will
heat, and covered with earth sufficiently
thick TO keep out the frost. But since the
incoming of the potato disease, this plan is
not much followed. The infected tubers
will often rot, especially if the mass heats a
little, and the diseased ones will often co IL
municate the disease TO the rest. In eel
lar this can be seen and noted, but in a
mound out Of doors no one knows of the
trouble till spring, when great loss has
been found. Besides this, it is 50 difficult
TO get at them in winter that those who
have no way TO preserve pulat, es except
this, as general thing prefer not to grow
at all rather than be bothered with this.
Stored in cellars, the potato is seldom
troublesome if healthy. No matter in how
great bulk, or whether put in wet or dry,
they seldom heat TO inj1ry. But if the
seeds of disease be there, the little heat
generated by the heaping together Of so
many roots is often enough 10 set the dis
ease to work, and very great losses have
been the consequence.
Dampness, undoubtedly, !avors the
| spread of the potato disease, and therefore,
where there is any chance at all of The dis
| Sdst CAislluS III iOONei tuSS OuShh w W
stored as dry as possible. Those which arc
| TO he kept in this general way should be
dry and cool, but this should he especially
seen to in the case of seed potatoes. Since
the potato beetle came among MS it is clear
that we are 10 have the best results from
very early planting, and by the use of the
earliest varieties. Now these early kinds
are more easily affected by warmth thar
the late ones. They sprout easily, and
GOODNESS is therefore the more essential fol
them. Some people think 1t makes little
difference whether seed potatoes sprout OF
not before planting. We have known peo
pie tear off sprouts several riches long
and cut up the tubers, in full faith tina
they will sprout ont again and be none TIN
worse for ii. They do generally grow
but there is little doubt they are conslilu
tionaly weaker, and much more liable Il
disease than those which do not sprout til
ready TO go in the ground, -GermdntopI
Telegraph.