The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1877-03-17
M|kt Hsatt,t.
TALK ABOUT POTATO PLANTING.

L
Joseph Harris, author of " Walks and
Talks on the Farm" gives long and use
full "Talk" on Growing Potatoes, in the
American AgricuIurist for March list, from
which we extract the following:
Last year l planted 10 acres of potatoes
of different varieties, including Early Rose,
Early Vermont, Snowflake, Compton's Sur
prise, Brownell's Beauty, Genesee King
Jones No. 4, and Thorburns Late Rose.
And the Doctor in the adjoining field
planted Peachblow, Peerless and Late
Rose. He had fair crop of Late Rose,
but the Peachblow and Peerless were
hardly worth digging.
In my field the Late Rose gave the larg
est yield, but the Early Vermont on the
whole, was the most satisfactory crop.
The potatoes were more uniform in size.
We had three acres, yielding 1876 bushels
per acre. The Late Rose had not come to
maturity, when the drouth and the second
crop of bugs struck them, and consequently
we had great many small potatoes. Snow
flake did tolerably well, but not as well as
the Vermonts. But it is not worth while
talking about the varieties that did well
last year. 1t was an exceptionally bad sea-
son. AS rule, the only good potatoes we
had were the earliest varieties-and this
simply because they had nearly got their
growth, before they were seriously injured
by the drouth and the bugs. The Early
Vermont, planted side by side with the
Early Rose on the same day, came mp ear
lier, and made more vigorous growth.
The plants were stronger larger, and more
robust | do not attribute this wholly to
the variety. The Early Rose has been
grown on this farm for several years, with
out change of seed. The Vermonts are
comparatively new. Had got we Early
Rose from distance, instead of planting
our home-gro seed, the plants might
have been as vigorous as those of the Early
Vermont.
'.It is clear to my mind, said the Doc
tor "that mere change of seed is not i'm
portant ! know that the New Jersey
potato growers often send here for their
seed, and we some times send to New Jer,
sey for our seed; but have never yet seen
any positive evidence that any thing is
gained by it. And then," continued the
Doctor, lone farmer thinks it very i'm.
portant to plant large potatoes and an,
other thinks small ones just as good
and the results of careful experiments are
quoted to sustain both opinions
"The thing is certain" said the Doctor,
eve shall have to plant small potatoes this
year. In the spring of 1875 potatoes were
scarce and high, and great many small
potatoes were planted-some not larger
than marbles-and yet we never had such
great potato crop. The next spring pota,
toes were not worth marketing, and we
planted the best and largest-and never
had worse crop. And so it is evident
that the character of the season has more
to do with the result than the size of the
seed.'
The best crop of potatoes l ever raised
on this farm happened to be from small
seed. But it was bit of prime light land,
in high condition. The root of the plant
penetrated into the fine, mellow soil, and
needed little nutriment from the seed.
Shall we plant in rows or in hills: shall we
plant small seed or large; shall we cut the
potatoes or plant whole; shall we cut the
sets from the top or bottom, or middle OF
the potato; shall we cut the potatoes few
days before planting, and sprinkle lime on
them; shall we plant one or two sets in a
hill; shall we plant deep or shallow; shall
we earth up, or shall we cultivate on the
fiat?
To all these, and dozen other questions
which are frequently asked, l answer: "Do
as you have done, or change if you feel
like it; but whatever else you do, or leave
undone, make the land dry, rich, mellow,
and clean. If you cannot do it this year,
make up your mind to do it next year, and
begin to prepare for it now. Farmers must
look ahead. We must keep our land rich
enough to grow a fair crop in an unfsv or.
able season. We shall have high prices,
and low prices, in the future as in the past,
and the men who will make money on pota
toes will be those who take the most pains
to keep up and increase the fertility of theil
farms