Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1877-03-22
AGRICULTURAL.
.pOT.A TO-CT.LTURE.

Among the very interesting discus
sions before the recent meeting of the
Fruit Growers Society Of Pennsylva-
MIA, as we find them reported in the
public prints, was one on Potato Cult
are, which gives some hints which,
though not new, have been forgotten
and may be kept in mind with much
profit by potato-growers.
We may promise that in old times
it used to be the practice to plant two
crops of potatoes, an early variety for
an early crop, and, later in the season
late variety for late-keeping tubers.
OF more recent years, however, and
notably with the introduction of the
Early Rose, it is found that there is
no occasion Cor this difference in kind
or season. The old earles were small
and lid not yield we'll, but the sin
gle point Of earliness was enough to
commend them to popular estimation.
The late ones are the large ones and
the productive ones. But the Early
Rose has proved as productive as the
best late ones, and since then there
have been others as good. They are
also as large, as good every way and
will keep just as we'll when planted
late. In consequence the late plant
ing with late varieties, SO common
with our foreiathers, has gone out of
existence.
The discussion now referred to
brought out the suggestion, whether
IL was not on account Of this great
change in or methods of culture
which had nearly driven out of cult
ure those two excellent varieties the
Mercer and the Teachblow which
ever since then have been unsur-
passed as something good to eat. We.
all know how nicely adapted are GER
tain kinds to peculiar conditions, and
these being now planted earlier than
in the heyday Of their popularity, do
not care to accommodate themselves
to the change. Now, this is only a
suggestion as made. 1t may not be
wholly sufficient to account for the
degeneration Of the superb kind, but
it may be one cause Of trouble.
At any rate, one person spoke OF
never putting in his "main crop, as
ne termed those which he wanted for
winter use, till after the first Of July,
and he spoke of having between three
and four hundred bushels per acre as
q general thing. OF course the excel
lence Of the crop may not be wholly
due to the late planting; but, as IN
the other case, there is enough in the
suggestion to warrant consideration.
In the course Of the discussion one
speaker said lie could do nothing with
the Peachblow, becauee it always
made enormous tops and he had few
subers. Now, this looks very much
like as the time of planting was of
great consequence to it. There IS
nothing in moons signs, as to times of
planting, whether the plant growth is
upwards" or ''downardS > but there
is a good deal in the season Of plant
ing that determines whether potato
will make tops or tubers. Extremes
in these relatives growths are always
antagonistic to each other. When
there is a great growth of tops few
roots are made and when exuberant
growth Of top is checked a little, pIen-
ty Of tubers follow. There is certain
ly material for reflection in sugges-
tons like these.
But after all, we have likewise to
consider that sometimes it will not be
q question of large or small crops, but
Of any crop at all, and the incursion
Of the potato beetle is one of these
"times." One has to plant pretty
early when they abound, in order to
get the plants we'll under way before
the best appears in numbers. There
ale also plenty Of other such consid-
erations, but the cultvator likes to
know what can be done under so nc
circumstances. - Germantown Tele-
graph.