5*0 Jl«RIC»LTURAL KS3AY3; 



Potato. 



The culture of this root, although a native of America, has^ 

 sot been sufficiently improved, except in the vicinity of our 

 large cities. To improve the quantity as well as the quality 

 of the crop, particular attention should be paid to the seed. 

 Potatoes planted several years from the same seed, will greatly 

 degenerate, and produce little or nothing. One method to 

 obtain new and various kinds of potatoes, is, to raise the' seed 

 from that which is contained in the apples. For this purpose, 

 the apples should be gathered after the seeds are fully ripe, 

 and mashed together in some water until the pulp is washed 

 away and separated from the seeds. Then dry them, and the 

 next spring sow them in a bed, and keep them clear from 

 weeds until the young plants acquire their growth. The po- 

 tatoes thus laised, of the first year's growth, it is said, will be 

 small ; they should then be sorted, and the next year planted, 

 each kind by itself, and the products will be full grown, or 

 mearly so. It will be found that some of the new sorts produc- 

 ed in this way, will excel in size and in the amount of the pro- 

 duct ; and others, also, will excel in dryness and superiority of 

 taste. In this way the farmer can accommodate himself with 

 such as are best for the table, and such as are more suitable 

 for feeding swine, &c. A great diversity of opinion has pre- 

 vailed respecting the size and condition of the potato best for 

 seed ; wJiether large or small ; or whether large ones cut in 

 pieces are not equally productive. But it is believed that no 

 general and invariable rule can be adopted respecting this 

 matter, from w^hich circumstances may not render it expedient 

 to vary. From some cause, which perhaps it would be useless 

 to explain, were it even possible, crops e^ally good have been 

 raised from seed in either condition. The large whole potato 

 miight how^ever be considered preferable upon a dry soil, for 

 the following reason : the outside skin of the potato, called the 

 (Siuticle, is the most durable part, and seems to retain the mois- 

 fcure for the use of the plant, till it is all exhausted ; and when 

 potatoes are cut for planting, the nutritive juice is in a great 

 measure absorbed by the earth. The opinion that the whole 

 potato is not so good, on account of bringing the plants too 

 fear together, appears to be erroneous, when it is considered 

 that in the progress of vegetation, the roots spread in every 

 direction in quest of nourishment ; and if that food which is 

 necessary for the growth of the plant, is properly located con- 

 tiguous to the soil of which the hill is composed, the plant will 

 spread until it comei ia contact with it, and absorbs it, and fills 



