POTATO CULTURE. 427 



originator, of a New York dealer, of a Marblehead seedsman, of 

 your own townsmen even, are of little value to you. Soil and sit- 

 uation have so great influence that we should trust alone to our 

 own experiments. These conclusions are the result of my own 

 experience in field culture, and have not been derived from experi- 

 ments in propagating in the hot-bed or garden. 



If a farmer has a variety which is productive, and the product 

 is of good quality, he should plant it for his main crop, and mean- 

 time experiment in a small way, side by side with his main crop, 

 with some other promising varieties; and when one is found which 

 he wishes to substitute for the kind which he has been planting, do 

 so, and go on with his experiments. In this way there will be little 

 loss if some of his experiments be failures, as doubtless they will 

 be, and the knowledge acquired be negative instead of positive. 

 Farmers often learn what to do by first learning what not to do. 

 That there are valuable varieties .among the large number now 

 being advertised to the attention of farmers, is without question, 

 and there are also valuable seedlings among us here in our own 

 State .which have not been generally introduced, and which are 

 deserving of public favor. Farmers will probably realize as much 

 satisfaction in the test culture of these as they will by purchasing 

 expensive kinds from abroad, and do it too at much less cost ; 

 while the chances are quite as good that they will find among 

 them a kind worthy of extensive culture. 



3. Pi-eparation of the Soil, and Manures. 



The land should be carefully plowed in the fall of the year, and 

 before planting should be worked into a thoroughly mellow condi- 

 tion. While enriching it this fact should always be borne in mind: 

 that the po'tato does not require, and will not hear highly charged 

 nitrogenous manures. Such manures may be used to force a quick 

 growth on early potatoes designed for use as soon as grown, but 

 cannot be recommended for general field culture. When barn 

 manure is applied it should be as an ingredient of a mild, thor- 

 oughly decomposed compost. Muck is an excellent ingredient, 

 and is very profitable to use in this way. When the compost is 

 applied to dry lands it should be spread broadcast and worked into 

 the soil when it is being prepared for planting, or better, in the fall 

 of the year. Heavy manuring, and extremely rich soils should 

 always be avoided for the potato. When wet, cold lands — and all 

 wet lands are cold — are to be planted, the best results are often 

 attained by applying the compost in the hill, or drill. The pota- 



