POTATO CULTURE. 109 



Such kinds as the "Jacksons" and other varieties having a 

 large number of eyes, I cut into pieces containing one eye each, 

 never planting the seed end, on account of there being so large 

 number of eyes in so small a space, making it difBcult to separate 

 them. 



I plant in hills, putting about three eyes in a hill, and succeed 

 better than in drills. 



We have a great variety of potatoes in our section of the State, 

 the oldest of which is the "White Blue Nose," so called, which 

 has been raised there for the last forty years. Specimens of 

 this variety presented at our county fair last year, were as perfect, 

 and large and fair as those raised forty years ago. I prefer them 

 for the table to any other kind. They are several weeks earlier 

 than any other variety. 



Mr. L. Chamberlain said, the Early Blues produce well in 

 Piscataquis county, but rot badly during the winter, although 

 perfectly sound when housed. The Royal Purple is considered 

 with us as the best table potato known. It does not yield very 

 largely, neither rots very badly, and every man who has had them 

 on his table one year loill raise them again. 



Mr. Thing said : In nearly every garden in Kennebec county 

 may be found the " Early Blue Nose," known in many places as 

 " Dummers." My mother brought them on to my farm forty-three 

 years ago from the farm of Shepard Bean, Esq., of Readfield, and 

 they have been grown there ever since, and, though I am not a 

 prophet or the son of a prophet, I predict that when the Early 

 Rose, Early Goodrich, Harrison and Garnet Chili live only 

 in history, the Early Blue Nose will be as well known and as well 

 liked as it is to-day. Give them good soil, good cultivation and a 

 cool dark cellar for storing and they are so near perfect the year 

 round that I do not ask for anything better. 



Our potatoes are generally grown on sward land, with a light 

 coat of green manure spread on, with plaster in the hill, a fair crop 

 of merchantable potatoes, (Oronos,) is two hundred bushels per 

 acre. Potatoes are often grown with a little super phosphate and 

 plaster in the hill, with no other manure, and they do extremely 

 well ; I think this way of manuring is on the increase. It is 

 thought they rot less than on yard manure, the weeds are got rid 

 of, and with Chandler's horse hoe and a boy, one may plant and 

 hoe as many potatoes as they please. It has been the universal 

 practice to cut the seed, and put two or three pieces in a hill, but 



