The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-03-07

The PoTATo CRoP.-The potato, which is
now on the table of nearly every family, and
a dish at nearly every meal. of the day, was
first found in the low lands o fChili. 1t was
growing wild, and WIS in 1850 never found
more than one inch in diameter. The pota-
to crop of this country now reaches over
l25, 900. 900 bushels annually, valued at
500, 600, 900, and every year notes an in
creased production, unequaled by any other
farm crop.
At this time potatoes are selling in cities
at s LOO to s1.25 per bushel, while wheat is
only worth IS cents to 3l.l0 per busheI. As
an illustration, we will take wheat as yield
ing 30 bushels Fer acre, which will represent
a value of $500 per acre, while potatoes at
$50 bushels per acre, will represent a value
of Sls7 30. OF course all farmers cannot get
SIPS for their potatoes, but even at 80 cents
per bushel they will bring him $500, and
more than $50 bushels to the acre should be
the rule rather than the exception, and do
say that any farmer can realize 500 per
acre for his potatoes if his land is at all
adapted to the crop, if he proceeds intelli-
gently about selecting the seed, and in Gull
tivation.
Though thousands of families are depend
ent upon them as their main article OF food,
they are also largely used for feeding stock
thousands of bushels are annually manu-
featured into starch alcohol is distilled
from the juice, and sugar has been made
from the tubers.
Our most profitable potatoes now are of
recent introduction ; this is true of all vege-
tables, but it is most emphatically true of
potatoes. In the different varieties in Guilt
walton we find a great variation of yield be-
tween the best and poorer sorts, the best
yielding varieties being three to four times
as productive as the poorer, and it is a fact
that by far the largest acreage is planted
with poor Welding sorts. Among the best
old sorts are the garnet. early and late rose.
But the seed is becoming far from the true
sort it is becoming mixed, and therefore
produces but half a yield. The best of late
introduction are the Mammoth Pearl, Mag
mum Bonum and Burbank Seeding, which
/ have been growing for the past two years,
and ! would especially recommend the
Mammoth Pearl for its large size, produc-
t~iveness, and fine flavor. Its yield is two to
three times as great as that of any other
kind. l got one peck two years ago, and
raised between six and seven bushels, then
Il - - -..,.. l.e. o,~faar I ,1.n-.l
four bushels, and if the season had been a
good one, / could have gathered 100 bushels.
l also have the other two varieties named
above. Ahv. reader wishing to try any of
these new varieties can have them, at about
one-half the price charged by seedmen, by
addressing c.. ii. Schmueker, Somerset, Pa,
who will sell them by the pound, peck,
bushel or barrel. The past season was par
ticularly favorable to growing potatoes. As
regards the bugs, they were doing but little
damage compared with previous years. Let
us hope il is the beginning of better times.
and say, in the language ofthe poet,
FAREWELL TO II BUGS.
! Goodbye. We bugs, yon striped devils
( Who nave brought u oft so many evils;
Your absence now may leave some room
For better things in wears TO come.
Farewell, you crawling, devlish pest,
How oft We have disturbed my rest:
Stole in my fields and ate my vines
For years on years, at sundry times.
Farewell, you poor, pesky ~"cfater
No more you'll nibble at my later
No more we'll hear the deacon swearing,
Or cursing fate, and oft despairing.
! Farewell. thank God a long farewell,
! We hope you all have gone to -
Gone for good gone, we hope to stay
! Well lift our hats, and hear the deacoe pray.