Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-05-25

ID ial home. The potatoes grown near II
is Equator or in their native home. ar
Or however, said to be of better aualit
r. There are many experienced growers
ID the present time along the Red River
10 the north. The potato rot at one tin
@ put very formidable barrier in the WI
J. OF any cultural advance. MANY were II
d theories advanced for checking its raw,
/, ges.
L ~ Kev. Chauncy l.. Goodrich. OF Utic,
d N. T., after extended research and muc
r study OF the subject, was led TO beliey
0 that the constitution of the potato I'm
Q become impaired and would transmit il
want of vigor to its progeny. He nil
Q mately concluded that the seed obtaine
/ from tubers brought from the potatoes
| original home would be the only mean
+ OF securing healthy seedlings. He oh
tanned barrel of Chilian potatoes grow,
, at Panama and brought across the 18th
mus at cost of 5000 (as the railroad wa
not then completely This barrel of no
tatoes furnished the basis for nearlv nj
OF MIR. G's future experiments From
thirteen to fifteen thousand Seeding,
were originated by him all of which wer,
comparatively worthless with the excen.
ttion OF one, viz the Garnet Chill, a seed
ing OF one of the varieties Mr.. G.. i'm,
ported, named by him the Rough Purple
Chiii. In addition to the seedlings raised
from the original he saved seed from the
seedlings and pursued the same course
with their progeny. Frequently there
would be varieties that gave great prom.
Use Tor the first three or four seasons, but
would then develop some fault, in Mr.
Gocdrich's estimation at least.
Some people have the erroneous idea
That Seeding must be m Improvement
on the parent variety after having Mr..
Us experience they would doubtless
draw different conclusions. As to the
amount OF potatoes raised in onr own
country, we ascertain by statistics that
tho crops OF 1880 amounted in round
numbers to 1G7, 7,659,570 bushels. The
number OF acres devoted to the crop t.
oZ, ,5l0 with cash valuation OF SSl oG2 =
~. Our little State of Vermont con-
tributed to this amount 4,954, 74O bush
els valued Mt 81, 2,08,9 ,99l or AZ cents per
Dushel, the estimated average per acre
IA bushels. Last year, or 1881. the crop
IN the United States fell short 10, GOO, ,OoO
bushels, consequently high prices reign
eu and large quantity was imported
about SS, OOO, ,OOW. This did not ma
terlally affect the shortage, however. be-
ing less than one eighth of the deficiency.
In 1879 the crop was fully up to the
average as 1863, 300 bushels were exported
valued at 5i9,672 or 7S $ cents per bushel.
It's Culture
This IL matter upon which there has
probably been more discussion than upon
the cultivation of any other ono crop.
At the present time one of the priuci-
pal considerations is the condition and
nature of the soil. When the country
was new aud all Of the land contained n
liberal amount of potash together with
other necessary plant food, the potato
seemed to thrive i'll almost any location
IN TACT the farmers used often to select
iheir poorest ground for the crop. The
iand was broken up carelessly, the tubers
planted, and often were given no after cul-
uvation, never more than one or two hoe
ings. When harvesting time arrived the
crop was abundant exceeding the presen,
average IN any section. But now the lit.
most care must be given in order to in
sure even moderate crop. First we
should select land of light, warm nu-
ture and III good condition deep plow-
ing is very essential especially SO in dry
season as the roots will go deep in search
OF moisture when the ground is mellow
enough to allow of it.
The plant is peculiar in this particular
IN wet season the roots NAV often be
discovered just at the surface of the
ground while during protracted drouth
they could hardly be found without dig
ging directly under the plant. The use
OF the sub-soil plow is often followed by
beneficial results, upon land having a
porous undersoil, however, this is not at
all necessary. Fall plowing is also bene-
hcinl II replowed i'll the spring, some
farmers to the contrary, notwithstanding.
Upon land infested with Quack grass this
Is advantageous almost necessary large
number of roots are thrown to the sur
face and killed by the freezing and thaw-
ing OF winter. Turf land is considered
much the best for potato growing. A
very good course to pursue, and one fol-
lowed by many intelligent farmers, is to
turn over sod ground and plant to pota-
toes the first season, the second to corn
and the third year seed down again.
The question of mode of planting and
cutting opens quite wide field for dis |
cussion. Some years ago, when the rails
ing OF potatoes was considered an easy
task, but little attention was given to the |
cutting of the seed. They were more
often planted whole than otherwise, q
large or small tuber to n hill as it hap
pened. Now it is considered OF much i'm.
portance. DIR. Sturtevant of the New
York State Agricultural experiment sta
ti1n has been experimenting lately and
has come to the conclusion that single
eyes cut deep will yield nearly double
the amount of whole potatoes planted
singly. Proper cutting may no doubt
make an important increase i'll the crop.
Farmers should try experiments in this
line for themselves in order to determine
what modes are best for their respective
locations, soils, etc, MS n rule, for the
raising, OF single crop cannot be made
general.
Cultivation in hills or drills co aroused
n considerable discussion short time
ago. No really definite results were
reached as 1t was hardly possible to de-
termlne which was the most profitable in |
the end. larger yield may no doubt be |
obtained by drill cultivation. The ex-
pense, however, is more than when plant |
ed 30 as to allow of cultivation both ways. |
This, as well ms the manner of cutting, |
should be determined by the growers |
experience. The custom of
in the hill or drill is fast going |
out of practice, as it has been shown that
larger yields were obtained by broad
casting, to say nothing of the extra ex-
pense of applying in the former manner.
1t is true that in very wet season extra
yields are sometimes obtained by hill or
drill manuring, but in the majority of
cases this is not 80. The potato beetle,
which caused 30 much disturbance at its
first appearance, is now fairly under Con-
troll as Paris Green, London Purple and
other insectides will completely subdue
them when used at the proper time. Last
year new combination was put upon the /
market as n fertilizer and insect DESTROYER