THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



297 



Kegislor, p. 262, 1 have concluded to (urriish you 

 a lew remarks reialinii; lo my experience, hopiiii; 

 ihat inanv others, who have cultivated the same 

 potato, will Ibllow the example. Such seems to 

 me the only mode by which we can in any short 

 period ascertain the real value of this species of 

 potato lor the table. If 1 remember correcily, the 

 accounts heretofore published represent the Rohan 

 ae an inlerior potato lor the table, and less larina- 

 ceous than some other kinds. Such has been my 

 experience in a trial of them lor three years. 

 Lei it not be understood that I have used them 

 three years lor the table. Three successive 

 years I have cultivated them, and have each 

 year tried them, by roasting and boiling. I have 

 never found them mealy, to use a common phrase, 

 but more like the common yellow potato, so gene- 

 rally brouglit here li-om the north in the spring, 

 and, strange to say, generally planted. This spe- 

 cies, the yellow, is barely edible when young, but 

 when ripe is only fit lor stock. The flavor of the 

 Rohan is certainly superior to the yeilow potato ; 

 but the real Mercer, the Forty-lold, the while kind 

 from Easiport, Maine, and the potatoes procured 

 yearly by Mr. N. of our town Irom the Quakers 

 on North River, are, to my taste, far prelerable to 

 the Rohan lor the table. They are much more 

 farinaceous than the Rohans raised on my farm, 

 on a soil tolerably stiff', and called commonly 

 *' mulatto soil." But it would seem, Irom ihe de- 

 scription given in your last number, by the corre- 

 spondent referred to, thai his soil is peculiarly 

 adapted lo the cultivation of the Rohans. Per- 

 haps the experience of many others may agree 

 vviih his, and, if so, it will doubtless be of great 

 importance to llie state. The most of liie pota- 

 toes brought here from the north, for a year or two 

 past, if not longer, except those specially ordered, 

 have been of miserable kinds, fit only for stock. 

 Those who have relied on the miscellaneous im- 

 portations here from the north, to supply their ta- 

 bles the last winter, have fared badly indeed. 



It is a matter about which I presume there can 

 be no doubt, that some species of potatoes are 

 much belter for the table during some reasons of 

 the year than at other seasons. I have found the 

 Forty-fold potatoes earlier and superior to all 

 otlier kinds for summer use. They are very white, 

 and are farinaceous, even when quite small. They 

 are not so good in winter. The real Mercer pota- 

 to is excellent in fall and winter. I speak from n)y 

 own experience, and fiotri observations made 

 vvithin thirty miles of town, in saying that the 

 Mercer potato can be raised here in perfection. 

 I mean by this term, as good as we ever get 

 from any part of the country. There are two or 

 three varieties of what ave called Mercer potatoes. 

 The kind perfectly while is, 1 think, the prelerable 

 kind. They are raised in great perfection on the 

 Eppingion plantation in Chesterfield, and the 

 seed potatoes have not been changed, as the 

 owner says, lor ten years. In September last, the 

 Mercer potatoes raised on that plantation were 

 equa) to any potatoes of American or European 

 growth, thiti I have seen lor ten years. Ttie 

 above circumstances are mentioned to show what 

 can be done here in relation to this important crop, 

 and lo stimulate, if possible, our farmers near 

 town to do, what can easily be done, and what it 

 would seem their interest lo do— lo raise potatoes 

 Vol. IX.— 21 



of a superior quality, sufficient to supply the towns 

 in the elate, as well as their own liimiliee. 



The Rohan is certainly a very productive pota- 

 to, and is equalled by none other known lo us, un- 

 less it be ihe Forty-fold. Judging from appear- 

 ances while digging, without weighing or mea- 

 suring, I have thought the Forty-lbld equally pro- 

 ductive with the Rohan. But it is probable ap- 

 pearances deceived me. I rejoice that your corre- 

 spondent has called the attention of the farming 

 interest to ihc importance of the potato crop. 

 Surely the buyers will encourage the home pro- 

 ducers, when ihey know, as they must know, ihat 

 Ihe importations here from the north are generally 

 of the very worst kinds; and when those who 

 liave had experience know that the potatoes im- 

 ported here from Europe, the present and a lew 

 winters past, have not been superior, if equal to, 

 the Mercers raised in the neighborhood. S. 



Petersburg; May 10, 1841. 



" THIS BARREN SANDS OF JERSKY. 



From the Farmers' Cabinet. 



.Sir,— I have been much interested with Mr. 

 Gowen's communication relative to the culture of 

 his farm of 40 acres, and its products; such an 

 instance of devoted and untiring industry is de- 

 serving the higiiest commendations. To those 

 who are acqu^'iinted with the nature of the soil 

 which he culiivates, his success must be surpris- 

 ing ; for vviio could contemplate ihe possibility of 

 raising puch magnificent crops of roots — beets, 

 carrots and parsnips — on a soil which, only five 

 years ago, was impenetrable to an iron bar, at a 

 dep'ih of three or iour inches from the Furf;ice 1 

 But so it is ; and truly has it been said, " To do 

 much, we must have much to do" — witness also 

 the agriculture of the eastern states, where the 

 most perlect systems have been adopted, amidst 

 the greatest disadvantages of soil and climate, 

 and the triumph of mind over matter has received 

 a most decided illustration. I say, I have beeri 

 hiizhly interested with Mr. Gowen's statements, 

 and rejoice in the instance which it furnishes of 

 the iruth of your motto — " The produciions of 

 the earth will always be in proportion to the cul- 

 ture bestowed upon it." 



But there is a poriion of our country, lying at 

 present under the ban of sterility, which would 

 not, in such hands, be Ibund a whit behind the 

 most favored in point of productiveness ; at ihe 

 same time, it enjoys a lacility lijr improvements 

 which no other country, perhaps, possesses — I 

 mean New Jersey, that country which is every 

 where spoken against, and whose barren sands 

 have passed into a proverb and a bv-word. Dur- 

 ing a day which 1 lately spent (here, in company 

 with the Cooper family, I had come to the convic- 

 tion, that there is no part of the United States 

 which offers a fHirer field lo the view of the agri- 

 culturist ihan New Jersey ; its perfectly inex- 

 haustible beds of marl, crossini/, as they do, so 

 great a poriion of ihe slate, offering such facilities 

 lor improvement as are (juite incalculable, and its 

 mild and dry climate *id proximity to the best 

 markets, rendering it the most desirable of all 

 situations lor the agriculturist and horticulturist, 

 particularly (or tiie cultivation of flowers, thesoij 



