the Forty-fold Potato. 165 



large for eating. This it is that has caused this variety to be 

 less estimated by many who, as we have just hinted, though lik- 

 ing it better than any other, have been tempted to discard it 

 ahogeiher. 



But that the forty-fold potato can be grown to a large and 

 handsome size is certain. We have seen too many evidences 

 of it ourselves, to listen to anything to the contrary; and it is 

 therefore with great pleasure that we inform those who have only 

 seen small sized potatoes produced, of a system which has been 

 practised by Mr. Burns, on the farm of J. D. W. Williams, 

 iilsq., of Roxbury, and which has afforded a most excellent crop 

 of large and fair specimens. 



It is probably well known that one end of all potatoes, and in 

 particular the forty-fold, has a very large number of sm.all eyes, 

 amounting, in the latter variety, to some fifteen or twenty in a 

 moderate sized potato. Now, if only one good sized potato is 

 planted, from this will spring, in all, twenty or iwenty-five sprouts 

 — altogether too many for a hill. Mr. Burns adopted the follow- 

 ing method: — the end of the potatoes containing the great num- 

 ber of eyes was cut off and thrown away; the remaining part 

 was then divided into three portions, with two or more eyes to 

 each: these three sets were planted in one hill, in the ordinary 

 way. The r.esult was most favorable; but a few sprouts came 

 from each; ihe hill was not thus choked up with vines; and the 

 roots, having more room, to extend themselves and gather nour- 

 ishment, the tubers were formed of fine size, with very few small 

 ones, not more than is usually found in other varieties. Some 

 of these potatoes we have seen and examined ourselves. The 

 after treatment of the plants was the same as that adopted for all 

 ordinary kinds, and the product immensely great. We would 

 recommend a trial of this system by all those who have failed, 

 in the common way of planting, of raising potatoes of fair size. 



In giving Mr. Burns's practice, we do not mean to be under- 

 stood as intending to say that no other mode w"ill produce a good 

 crop. A farmer of Lancaster, who has raised them every year 

 since their introduction, succeeds in producing a great crop of 

 very large potatoes. Only one moderately sized one is plant- 

 ed in a hill, and the crop is good and profuse. The soil is rich, 

 light and deep. 



We have also stated, in another page, that forty pecks of large 

 potatoes had been raised from one peck the past season. This is 

 an enormous quantity, but no more than, we believe, can be always 

 produced with ease. In England, one pound has raised seventy, 

 and other experiments have been detailed, where the same pro- 

 portionate quantity was raised. We shall bo glad to see this ex- 

 cellent potato take the place of the nondescript varieties which 

 are every where grown, that our markets may be abundantly sup- 

 plied with this valuable vegetable. 



