The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-04-07
AGRICULTURAL.
Potato Planting.

The time is close at hand when the ground
should be prepared for early potatoes; farm
ers generally are most successful with this
crop upon sod land. After the sod has been
turned over, manure may be spread broad
cast, narrowed in, then fHrrow out three
feet and halls apart; and if your potatoes
have not been started in hot bed, and the
sprouts are not showing themselves much
place them in box behind the kitchen
stove for few days, but do not wait for the
sprouts to grow to any extent, and be care
full not to break them off. Ii the potatoes
are of good size, cut them Sc as not to have
more than two eyes in one cutting but the
largest potatoes will be obtained from one.
Plant them in drills about one foot apart,
using little commercial fertilizer as it is
not only good for giving the plant fair
start, out also for driving away the worms
which prey upon the potato when it nears
maturity. Strong barn-yard manure when
placed in the hill, is little apt to give a
rank taste to the potato. Of the different
varieties few are better than the Early Rose
The early Vermont is claimed to be about
ten day. earlier than the rose, but when up-
on the table it is matter of doubt whether
any one can tell the difference. The Ohio
ranks among the early varieties, and has
been tested with the Early and Vermont;
and of those who have tried them all, if
the ques ion were put to the vote, the price
at which these several seeds are held over
more common sorts will prevent them for a
year or two from coming into general Gull
ture. The amateur farmer, who has money
to spend, we recommend to try all new va
rles of every kind of vegetables and fruit.
The average cultiyator who farms fora living
waits the decision of the amateurs, and in
this manner he will find himself greatly in
debted to the gentleman farmer,'' of whom
he sometimes speaks with contempt.-Bos-
ton Cultivator.
An Asparagus Bed
He who lives in the country and has no
asparagus bed has at least one sin of omis-
sion on his conscience, for which he can
never give an adequate excuse. Some are
under the delusion that an asparagus bed is
an abstruse garden problem and an expen-
sive luxury. Far from it. The plants can
be obtained of any seedman at slight cost. l
have one large bed that yields almost daily
supply from the middle of April till late in
June, and | shall make another bed next
Spring iii this simple way: AS soon as the
ground is dry enough-the earlier the better
I shall choose some warm, early, but deep
soil, enrich it well, and then on one side OF
the plot open furrow or trench eight inches
deep. Down this furrow l shall scatter a
heavy coat OF rotted compost and then run a
plouSn OF pointed noe 'nfouSh II again.
BY this process the earth and compost are
mingled and the furrow rendered about six
inches deep. Along its side, one foot apart,
will place one-year-old plants, spreading
out the roots and taking care to keep the
crown, or top of the plant, five inches below
the surface whenlevel; then half fill the fur
row over the plants, and when the young
shoots are well up, fill the furrow even.
shall make the burrows two feet apart, and
after planting as much space as l wish the
bed is made for the next fifty years. In my
fathers garden there was good bed ovel
fifty years old. The young shoots should no:
be cut for the first two years, and only spar.
ingly the third year, ON the same principle
that we do not put young colts at work The
asparagus is marine plant, and dustings o.
salt sufficient to kill the weeds will promote
its growth.-Harper's Magazine.