:32 MONTHLY JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE. 



rope." We jiroceeil to give the residue of tho remaiks by P. F. Fromberg, first assistant 

 in the laboratory of the Agricultural Chemistry Association of Scotland, iis they deserve at» 

 tentiou independently of their bearing on the disease of the plant. His remarks on the influ- 

 <3nce of climate upon the qualities of the potato accord with experience in the United States. 

 Elevated regions aTid cooler latitudes give us our best potatoes and our heaviest oats. 



" lu case, however, the process of raising potatoes from seed be tried, it is of prime importance 

 ^o select a proper poil for cultivation, and also a sound and fertile fruit, duly prepared for propa- 

 S'ation. by allowing only two or three in each bunch to reach maturity, and cutting oft" the rest. 

 When intended for use, the seed should be taken out of the fruit, and well washed, keeping only 

 those which sink in the water, farther dried in the sun on a piece of paper, during tv,enty-four 

 lK)urs, and preserved dry and safe from the attack of insects. To get verj- early kinds, the fruit 

 ■ or apples should be taken from the flowers that have raised their petals first. 



" It is also proved by experience that the potato prefers a damp climate to a dry one, and 

 grows better at a moderate than at a high temperature. Peru, where it grows in a wild state, 

 produces no potatoes that are edible, and at the same time yield large returns ; it is in the north 

 of America that the}- increase so much in size and produce. In Ireland, of which the climate is 

 ■damp, and tlie temperature moderate, and in Lanca.shire, the potato culture reaches a high state 

 •of perfection in every respect ; but in Italy, Spain, and the South of France, and part of Ger- 

 tnany, tlie produce is of inferior quality. , 



" For these and other reasons, it is advisable to pay particular attention to the raising of winter 

 jpotatoes; they are said from experience to suffer much less from di.seaso than those raised in 

 summer. The potato, although it may be planted to a depth of three feet without danger, should, 

 'however, be sown less deep — half a foot, for instance. 



•' liefercnce is made to the experiments made by Mr. GoodifRe of Granard ; by Mr. Jackson in 

 Manchester; to those of Mr. Williamson, made in the island of Bute and in Perthshire; and of 

 "Mr. Heny of Hand.«worth, to prove the advantage of raising early potatoes. Several growers in 

 <3rermany and France have done the same willi equal advantage. 



" The practice followed in Lancashire, of planting oidy the ro.scend, and keeping the opposite 

 part for food, is considered the best of all. As the eyes of the rose-end produce their shoots 

 :a.bout three v/ceks earlier than those of the lieel-cnd, this method is well calculated to grow 

 .early varieties." 



Dar\vik, in his entertaining " Voyage of a Naturalist," publi.shed lately by the Harpers, 

 .gives the foUowiug account of this important vegetable as it was foiuid on the island of Cho- 

 nos, in the Pacific, on the coast of South America ; 



"The wild potato grows on these islands in great abundance, on the sandy, shelly soil, near 

 the sea beach. The tatesl ])]ant was nearly three feet in bight. The tubers were generally small, 

 i*>ut I found one of an oval shape two inches iu diameter. Tliey resembled in evei-j' respect, and 

 ha.ll the same smell as English potatoes; but wlien boiled they slirunk much, and were watery 

 «.nd insipid, without any bitter taste. They are undoubtedly here indigenous ; they grow as fur 

 -.south, according to Mr." Law, as lat. 50, and are called Aquinas by the wild Indians of that part; 

 .^.he Chilotan Indians have a dilfcrent name for them. It is remarkable that the same plant should 

 he fouud on the sterile mountains of Central Uhili, where a drop of rain docs not fall for more 

 than six months, and within the damp forests of these southern islands." 



In this improvability of the potato by cultivation we have another example of the design 

 ' 'of Providence that man shotdd be diligent and exercise both his mental and physical facul- 

 ties for the melioration of all the gifts of Natui-e — for what fruit, flower, grass, gj'ain, vegeta 

 'ble, or animal has not been variegated and made more beautiful and better, by domestica 

 tioii and artful appliances ? And shotdd not this reflection alone convince the most skepti- 

 cal that Agriculture and Horticulture are in their veiy natiire eminently uitollectual pursuits ? 



Finally, everything goes to show the soundness of the suggestions of our coiTespondent 

 that we should reciu', uiuler existing circumstatices, to its native habitat for the original or 

 ^larcnt stock of the potato, leaving it only a question whether it would bo most conducive to 

 tiie eiid in vie^v to bring the phuit itself, or the seed of the applo, with which to establish 

 1 -new varieties of youthful and more vigorous constitution ; and yet, whether the product of 

 \ tuese would be more exinnpt from the prevalent dist?aso is, idler all, but a problem — worthy 

 •of beuig solved by the experiment suggested, when we consider how easily it miglit be 

 done, and how iinpoitjnit is the object proposed. [£</. Farm. Lib. 



?. 8. The following meets our eye iit the moment ; let it be tried, though not in the cxpcctiition that 

 lOiere will bo " no diminution of the roots " if the tops me removed before they are ripe — else w hat is tlie 

 sise of the tops? Tops have been laid on our table which have every appciu-ance of being killed by linving 

 oheir lienrts eaten out by worms : 



Mr. M. C. Websteu has addri-ssoJ a letter to the KJiior.i of the H.nrtf.ird Conraiit. lie says the tope 

 o( the potatoes should be mown otl" when thoy wo about half or two-thirds :;rown. He luia tried the ex- 

 periment, and found it fully auceesaful. lie mowed off one-half a potiito patrh, and let^ llie reniaindor as 

 they wure. Those left wiili the vini-.s on were nearly all destroyed by the disease, while in that portion 

 ■from which the vincrt were cut not a single diseased potato whs found, it has been found, too, that CQt- 

 . ling off the vicee does not diminish the roots. 

 (276) 



