Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-05-01
"Potato Plan" Suggestions.

To the Editor of The Evening Star:
In reading the articles upon "the potato
plan" in your Indispensable newspaper, I
am reminded of my early knowledge and
experiences, and also that some ideas rela-
tive to the subject which have occurred to
me may, if published by you. prove Of some
benefit or advantage to those who may en-
gage in the plan. or aid in some degree it's
success.
There are many owners Of vacant city
lots-of varied extent-who have within
their personal knowledge and in the vicinity
one or more poor persons or families to
whom the use of such lots for gardens
would afford employment and the means
of subsistence. Let such owners inaugurate
the work in person. and by few small con-
tributions obtain the means Of blowing and
preparing the ground for the spring crops,
which, it seems to me, should be varied
according to soil or other conditions, and
not be confined to potatoes-which may
prove to be too abundant in quantity to be
profitable If city potato culture is to be-
come general.
Much Of the vacant ground may not be
considered good or rich enough to produce
yield to compensate the laborer, but that
is not the case, as the potato and some
the ground is sandy or gravelly so much
the better. If clay, 1t should be fortified
and loosened by profuse dressing of coal
ashes. which. If just from the source of its
production, Is preferable, as 1t contains
more or less of wood ashes, the alkali from
which is the best and choicest nourshment
for the potato or for any like tuber, for
which no manures should be used, and GER
tainly none that are not thoroughly rotted,
as they give rank and unpalatable flavor
to the crop. Potato rot has frequently been
caused by use of such manures, and has
often been prevented by the free use of
a or. ia A 70 .,P
vegetable mould Is also an excellent fer
tilizer. In any soil free from clay, and of
average fertility. carrots. sugar beets, man.
gel-wurzelS and the like may be raised with
surprising results and great profit, afford
ing valuable food for horses and mich
cows, and finding a ready market, the pro-
Ceeds Of which will supply many neces-
saries Of life not to be raised in city gar
dens.
For seed potatoes sufficient can be sup
piled by families in the using of potatoes
for culinary purposes by cutting off about
an inch, or even less, of the end of the
tuber having the eyes, the loss thereof be-
ing so small as hardly to be noticed
The most surprising results in potato
culture have known were in the Adiron-
dacks, or northern New York. where the
crop has been planted in the ashes pro-
duced by the burning of the wood cut from
timbered lands, where the sole purpose OF
cutting the timber was to clear the land.
Lime is the food of cereals, but not of
tubers. Root crops (such as beets, etc. and
cabbage thrive best in loose soils, and re-
quire vegetable mould or muck for nourish-
ment. An occasional trip to the woods with
-four sack or basket to be filed with the
muck from an old rotten stump will afford
a good supply.
One of the advantages of the plan of city
gardens will be found to be, in case of
drouth. in the opportunity for the use of
the waste of the Potomac water, that from
kitchen and laundry, and impregnated with
alkaH from the use of soap or washing
soda, or 'consecrated lie," affording a two
fold use. After the gathering of a crop of
early potatoes, resulting from early plant
ing of early varieties, cabbages can be set
out, having already been started in beds,
with excellent results, if properly cult
waited. They are the only vegetable. besides
asparagus. that requires salt for food,
half teaspoonful of which should be ap-
piled to each plant when set, and twice
that quantity to be dropped upon the plant
when six or eight leaves are out. There is
trlne enough wasted in this city in a month
from ice cream factories and groceries to
supply food for thousands of acres of cab
bages. They should also be literally sup
piled with vegetable mould, and no manures
should be applied. Cabbages should not be
hoed or cultivated when the sun is shining
upon them. cloudy day or an evening
after the sun has passed over should al
ways be selected for that purpose.
w r,