The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1878-02-08
NUMBER 6.
THE IRISH POTATO.

THE IRISH POTATO.
EDITOR SOUTHERN CULTIYAToR.-Be-
low are two interesting items in regard to
Irish potatoes. There is no crop that bet
ter deserves an increased attention from
Southern farmers than the Irish potato. 1t
is easy enough to make two crops on tho
same land, and the November crop can ba
preserved as easily as sweet potatoes through
the winter. AS soon as it becomes general
ly known that there is no need for large
"sets," but that the sprouts and the very
smallest potatoes arc good seed under prop
er cultivation, there will be a, a,wonderful in
crease in the area devoted to tho crop. OF
the size of small marbles, saved early Ia No
vember and re-planted in January, make
good crops, and the only occasion we tried
the sprouts or "draws" was success. The
sprouts had quite number of roots. This
winter we hope to have something further
to say on the subject. G..
Milledgeville, Ga.
POTATO SPROUTS FOR SEED.
"It is now upwards of 40 years since
tested the use of pototo sprouts for seed,
and L continued to do SO for some wears as
an experiment; for at that time my potato
growing was confined to garden produce
L had tho buds carefully picked from tho
tubers after they had thrown out roots out
side the parent tuber At the same time
had other tubers cut for seed in the usual
way. l planted 3 drills in the garden, side
by side-one of cut tubers. one of sprouts,
and ona of small uncut tubers. When ot
maturity daily dug up hills from each
drill, counted and weighed the produce of
each three, and found that of the sprouts
equal to any, both in weight and in num-
Der. The I'd year cid the same, taking
no pains to dibble the sprouts, but scattered
them in the open drill, and covered lightly.
l went further, for having found heap of
fine sprouts on the road-thrown over tho
wall by some sagacious cultivator, who had
got his seed potatoes carefully turned and
picked, and had thrown away the vigorous
shoots-I had barrowful gathered up and
scattered broadcast on q few ridges prepared
for the purpose, and covered them with
mold out of the burrows. The result was
most satisfactory. Thesprouts soon appeared
over the ground, and the crop came to ma
turity much earlier than that from the pota-
rUcs plunIed thc same Jlay. --------- : -----
1t must be obvious to any one who con-
siders the matter, that once the tuber has
generated the sprout, it is no longer of use,
for on digging the crop, the tuber, whole or
cut, will frequently be found whole and de-
tachcd from the roots Of the stalk. Why,
then, pick of the first vigorous growth, and
plant the tuber to produce second and
more puny and sickly one?
Sprouts can be planted much later than
the tubcrs, or if at the same season. they
will mature much earlier, because they arc
so much ahead of the tubcr, which, after
being planted has to throw out sprout."
Cor. Toronto Globe. ra
"For the past twenty years, my practice
has been to plant the largest of the small
ones, cutting two eyes on piece, and put
ting B pieces in hill 4 feet l believe
the only advantage derived from planting
large potatoes, is the extra amount of starch
sccreted, and that on the other hand, is
more than made up by the gain in seed, and
the sight cost Of the small ones. AS an ex-
pertinent | once planted in my garden pota-
to tic size Of a pea. 1t produced a vine
threefonrth Of an inch in diameter, and
had number Of potatoes, one of which
weighed one pound.-A. w. HURDY, in
Transactions Of Nc,0 Hampshire Board
J Ag.