290 THE YEAR-BOOK OF AGRICULTURE. 



to one, "while others will give only three or four-fold ; as to spreading under the ground, 

 some running out to a great distance, others growing quite near to the stem some descend- 

 ing deep into the earth, while others will rise to the surface; as to quality, some will be 

 tough and watery, some dry and mealy, some very pleasing to the taste, while others will 

 not be palatable ; as to the stems, some will carry a single rod, others an immense profusion 

 of them, some being very luxurious, while others will be dwarfish. In short, as is very 

 remarkable, no sort of connection will be found to exist between any of the peculiarities of 

 the two specimens. 



Charles Sears, of the Phalanx Farm, in New Jersey, has communicated to the Working 

 Farmer a detailed statement of the result of sundry experiments he has tried in planting 

 potatoes, with a view of determining whether it is most profitable to plant whole seed or 

 small cuttings. The general conclusions are thus stated; It will be perceived that the ratio 

 of product to seed is greatest from the smallest-cut seed, as might be inferred would be the 

 case; but deducting the quantity of seed in each case, the net produce per acre is uni- 

 formly in favor of planting whole seed, and also as clearly in favor of planting large-sized 

 whole seed, when the cost of seed does not exceed a dollar a bushel, and the crop sells for 

 fifty cents or more ; the ratio of product per acre of marketable potatoes from whole seed 

 being relatively as 100, 90, 73, and from smallest-cut seed as 62, 44, 34. Taking only the 

 first or largest-sized potatoes, the ratio of product per acre from whole seed is as 100, 73, 

 67. I have also estimated a money valuation of the crop, and the extreme difference at the 

 prices named between the product of the large-sized whole seed and that of the smallest-cut 

 seed is as $86, $76, and $40, the latter figure being 46 per cent, of the former. 



In the foregoing estimation of net results I have not taken account of the cost of culture 

 and marketing, so as to show the actual profit of the crop, because the cost and product 

 differ so greatly in different sections of the country. 



Mr. E. C. Roberts, in the New York Country Gentleman, gives the following directions, 

 based on his experience, for cultivating the potato. He says 



" To get seed-roots,, select one-fourth acre of arable land, (on which water will not stand,) 

 on an eastern slope, (new land is the best for this use,) fit early in the spring, furrow four 

 or five inches deep, and two feet apart. Select seed-roots that are about the size of a hen's 

 egg, that have touched the ground during the previous winter. Do not cut them ; drop one 

 every six or eight inches apart in the furrows, cover them by filling the furrows, and then 

 put a top dressing of two inches of straw or forest-leaves on each row. When the tops are 

 two inches high, pass between the rows with a shovel-plow ; follow with a hoe destroying 

 the weeds, and levelling the ground; do not hill. You have nothing more to do until fall, 

 when the ground begins to freeze ; then cover with half-rotten straw, chaff, or forest-leaves, 

 three or four inches deep. Your potatoes will now have a chance to ripen and rest during 

 the winter. 



" I shall now direct you in planting for culinary use next season. The spring following, 

 before your potatoes sprout, you will plant another seed-patch, as above directed. You will 

 now take the residue, and plant a field crop for culinary use. Plant in drills, four or five 

 inches deep, and three feet apart ; drop a potato every eight or ten inches, cover by filling 

 the furrows ; cultivate or hoe twice. In this way you will get the greatest yield and best 

 quality. Continue a similar practice from year to year, and, from my own experience, I 

 believe you will find your potatoes yearly increasing in yield and quality. 



"The third year you may increase your field crop by plowing in fine manure. All who 

 follow my directions will, the second year, see many seed-balls on the vines in their seed- 

 patch. These may be planted in the fall as I have done, and cultivated carefully, and good 

 will undoubtedly result from it, if pursued in nature's own way. The potato will grow wild 

 in our forests, if planted in them, and thus save those the trouble (who wish to get the wild 

 root) of resorting to their native forests in South America. Finally, we may apply nature's 

 laws profitably to most other products. Seed of every variety should be fully matured, i.e. 

 not harvested until fully ripe. That which approaches the nearest to perfection should be 

 selected for seed, and all roots for seed purposes should remain in the ground where they 

 grew until they bear seed." 



