The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-09-15
FARM AND GARDEN.
The Comm. Potato.


4 very practical and sensible communica-
ton appears in the IaericW CHlttcdtor from
VIM. j. Fowler, of Pittsford, n. y, on the sub
ject Of potatoes. He says the peachblowS have
run out. and thinks the reason may be found
in planting unripe seed. Many believe that
| Just as good crops may be raised from planting
small potatoes as from large, tullgrown pota-
toes This may be true, provided the small
potatoes are ripe. But small potatoes are not
rs likely 10 be ripe as the large ones, and, hence,
it is the much better plan to plant only small
! ones
| In regard to the early rose Mr.. Fowler says
The early rose is in quality superior to the
average pcachblow. 1t is not, however, so
good for late keeping, and, worse defect still,
! in the ewes Of the growers, it Is not nearly SO
productive aS formerly. The truth is that the
early rose, like most very early potatoes, needs
! the richest soil One reason Tor this Is that
land which is rich is moister in the time when
the potatoes are swelling. When we first grew
the early rose, eight or nine years ago, farmers
planted them in gardens or on the richest cor
ners of their fields. 1t is IN these rich spots
that the immense yields, "at the rate Of ever
so many bushels per acre, were produced.
Grown in ordinary soil with only field culture,
they often produce less than 100 bushels per
acre, and in large pieces seldom go above $50
bushels
The early Vermont potato is 50 nearly like
the rose that it has been doubted whether they
are distinct varieties. There IS difference
but it is slight The Vermont seems to be 4
Seeding, reproducing the early rose as it was
Il few years ago 1t is as yet OF little better
quality than the rose of to-day; but ii also is
deteriorating in productiveness, through being
| planted year after year ON too poor land. The
new seedlings, as Il rule, run out more quickly
than our old varieties; probably from recelv-
ing less care and being planted on poor soil.
A great many early rose and early Vermont
potatoes have been planted this year. Their
early maturity makes the work of fighting the
potatobectle much less severe. This, at least,
was what farmers hoped at planting time. In
practice we find that the early potatoes have
so much less vigorous vines that the potato
beetle seeks them by preference over other va
rietics The season for fighting the potato
beetle may be short one but it is sure to be
an active one, if the potatoes are saved.
THE coming potato must be a strong Wig,
orous grower. The larger the vine the less
liable the beetle is to lay her eggs on it; more
likely the eggs are to be rotted by rains, dcws,
or the sap Of the vine before Matching; and,
when Matched, the more leaf there is for the
larvae to eat before destroying the crop. The
late rose and the peerless have seemed to fill
than any other varieties They are immense
ly productive ana have sufficiently vigorous
tops. have this year, however seen and
tested two new varieties which promise to be
rs nearly bug-proOt as is possible. The first OF
these is Weiss Seeding, an early potato, re
semblng the .arly rose, but exceedingly Wig
orOus and productive. One piece which cX
amined this week, should estimate at three
hundred bushels per acre. The quality is eX
cellent, cqualing earlyrosc. lis time of ripen
ing is about week later than that variety.
The Eureka is the most promising new Pc
tato | know. 1t apparently productive
than any other, and its top grows 50 vigorous
" that itwould be impossible for potato beetles
in our climate to keep it eaten down. 1t Is
also Ofsuperor quality and keeps well till late
in the season. Some which ate last May
were better than any peachbow ever tasted
so late in the season. When fairly introduced
to the consumers Of our large cities the Eureka
will rival if not excel the Mercer and peach
blow of former days or the early rose, early
Vermont, and peerless Of the present