The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1877-03-17
FARM AND GARDEN.
Talk about Potato Planting.

Joseph Harris, author of "Walks
and Talks on the Farm" gives long
and useful Talk" on Growing Pota.
tops, in the American Agriculturist for
March list, from which we extract the
following
Last year planted 13 acres of pota
toes Of different Varieties, including
EARLY Rose, Early Vermont, Snow.
flake, BrOwnell's Beauty, Compton's
Surprise, GeDesee King, Jones No. 4,
aud ThOrburn's Late Rose. Aud the
Deacon in the adjoining field planted
P"achblow Peerless, and Late Rose
lie hal fair crop of Late Rose, but
the PeachblOw and Peerless were hard
ly worth digging.
In my field the Late Rose gave the
largest yield, but the Early Vermont,
on tho whole, was the most satisfactory
crop. The potatoes were more uniform
in size. We had three acres, yielding
1875 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
fake did toerably well, hut not as well
as the VermOnts. But it Is not worth
while talking about the varieties that
did well last year 1t was an exception
ally bad season. As a rule, the only
good potatoes wa had were the earliest
varieties land this simply because they
had nearly got their growth, before
they were seriously Injured by the
drouth and the bugs. The Early Yer
mont, planted side by side with the
Early Rose On the same day, came up
earlier. and made more vigorous
growth. The plants were stronger.
larger, and more robust. do not at
tribute this wholly to the variety. The
Early Rose has been grown on this farm
for several years, without a change of
seed. The Vermonts are comparative
ly new. Had we got Early Rose from
distance, instead of planting our
homegrown seed, the plants might
have been as vigorous as those of the
Early Vermont.
at Is not clear to my mind" said
the Doctor, that q mere change of
seed is 80 important. l know that the
New Jersey potato growers often send
here for their seed, and we sometimes
send to New Jersey for our seed but
have never yet seen any positive evi.
dence that anything is gained by it.
And then" continued the Doctor, lone
farmer thinks it very important to plant
large potatoes, another thinks small
ones just as good-and the results of
careful experiments are quoted to sus-
tain both opinions"
"The thing is certain, f." said the Dea.
asNUa llull ha VA fO MIA
tatoes this year. The spring of 1875
potatoes were scarce and high, and a
great many small potatoes were plantO
ed-some not larger than marbles and
yet we never had such a great potato
crop, The next spring potatoes 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 results, than the
size Of the seed"
The best crop of potatoes ever rails
ed 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 hill;
shall we plant deep or shallow; shall
we earth up, or shall we cultivate on
the fiat
To all these, and dozen other ques-
tions which are frequently asked, |
answer: "Do as you have done, or
change IL you feel like it; hut whatever
else you do, or leave undOnp. make the
laid dry, rich, mellow, and clean. Ii
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
unfavorable season. We shall have
high prices, and low prices. in the fu.
ture as in the past-aud the men who
will make money by potatoes will be
those who take the most pains to keep
up and Increase the fertility of their
farms.