150 



potatoes, if not too far gone, may be extracted and used for food with 

 all safety; as according to Professor Johnston, of Durham, England, it 

 contains no deleterious matter. It may also be used for starch.* 



It has been a matter of dispute amongst practical men whether po- 

 tatoes intended for seed should be allowed to attain a perfect ripeness, 

 or whether they should be lifted before they are perfectly ripe. The 

 advocates of the latter mode assert that green or um-ipe potatoes, as 

 they contain more nutritive matter, always produce better crops. Those 

 who advocate the former opinion, maintain that as unripe potatoes never 

 keep well, they consequently cannot produce the best and soundest 

 crops. Truth may lie, as it often does, between extremes. Let farmers 

 exercise prudence and judgment in the matter. Many recommend that 

 potatoes intended for next year's seed should be planted late and lifted 

 early, that the tubers may contain a sufficiency of juice to nom-ish the 

 young plant before it is capable of collecting much sap fiom the soil. 



Since the potato has shown symptoms of degeneracy, doubts have 

 been raised as to the propriety of planting the crop according to the 

 uniform practice, by sets or cuttings having one or more eyes of the po- 

 tato in each. No objections can be raised, it is conceived, to the plant- 

 ing of the entire tuber, except on the ground of economy; and it is a 

 fact that an unwise policy has carried some, nay, almost every one, in- 

 stead of selecting the best, to lay aside the worst, the refuse of their 

 crops for seed ! Nature propagates by the entire tuber. Agriculturists 

 should study nature. 



"Nature is the friend of truth!" 



The potato being generally considered a hardy plant, little care was 

 exercised" either as regarded its cultivation or preservation. At seed 

 time the large and healthy tubers were selected for the table, and the 

 small and refuse for seed ! Anything, at one time, short of a stone, it 

 was conceived, would produce good potatoes. Even small potatoes were 

 divided into several parts, mere atoms, destitute of nutritive matter, in- 

 sufficient to nourish the tender root until it attained the requisite stami- 

 na to attract its support from the soil. Hence the wisdom of cutting 

 the sets large, when the tubers are divided. Some philosophers have 

 said that there is no opinion so absurd but that it will have its advo- 



•Farina or potato-flour is extensively used in France by bakers and confectioners for the 

 purpose of giving lightness to their bread and pastry, &c. It forms a liglit and wholesome 

 food for infants, children and invalids. The method of obtaining the flour will be given in 

 the appendix, No. 1. 



