1857. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



269 



LEGISLATIVE AGRICULTURAL MEET- 

 ING. 



[Reported for the Farmer by H. E. Rockwell.] 

 The Fourteenth meeting of the Legislative Ag- 

 ricultural Society was held, as usual, on Tuesday 

 evening ; but the number present was fewer than 

 on former evenings, on account of the unexampled 

 storm of the preceding day. The time was fully 

 occupied, however, and the meeting was profitable 

 to those who were there. The topic for discussion 

 was "Root Culture." 



Mr. Asa G. Sheldon, of Wilmington, was 

 called on to preside. He spoke of the cultivation of 

 roots as being more important now than formerly, 

 comparatively, on account of the higher price of 

 most roots. Sixty years ago, corn was as dear as 

 it is now, but root crops — such as were then culti- 

 vated — were not as dear by far, except onions. 

 Corn, fifty years ago, was worth a dollar a bushel, 

 and potatoes thirty or forty cents. About forty years 

 ago, corn rose to nine shillings, and potatoes to 

 the enormous price of fifty cents a bushel. It was 

 thought that the West was going to ruin New 

 England, because everything could be produced so 

 much cheaper there ; but the glory of Massachu- 

 setts seems to depend on the West, for our manu- 

 factures are supported by the demand for them at 

 the West. We must depend on the West for pro- 

 visions to be kept, such as grain ; but it becomes 

 Massachusetts farmers to raise all they can of 

 things which must be eaten green and fresh, and 

 which are too heavy to be transported so far. Po- 

 tatoes have been nearly a dollar a bushel for thelast 

 five, years, and corn has not averaged so much. The 

 farmer will see that it is for his interest to turn his 

 attention more to the cultivation of roots than for- 

 merly. 



From his own experience he considered it as 

 easy to raise three bushels of potatoes as one of 

 corn. Still, that is not exactly a fair criterion, for 

 corn fodder is worth more than some estimate it 

 at. As the demand for milk increases, the demand 

 for root crops increases ; for it is generally admit- 

 ted that roots are better for a milk cow than In- 

 dian meal to produce milk. He would have far- 

 mers raise almost everything ; but if a farmer wish- 

 es to make the most money he can, let him culti- 

 vate potatoes, beets, carrots, onions, parsnips, iS:c., 

 and he will get more dollars than he will by rais- 

 ing corn. 



Some may say that the potato crop is too uncer- 

 tain on account of the rot. But he knew, from six 

 years experience, that there was a remedy for the 

 potato rot, and a very simple one. The way to 

 prevent the rot is to raise the potatoes from the 

 balls, and keep them in the ground, where they 

 will not freeze, and let them remain there till they 

 are wanted for planting. He had tried that meth- 

 od six years, and had had no rotten potatoes. 



Mr. Wetherell spoke of the importance of the 

 subject, not only to farmers, but to producers. He 

 spoke of the fact that in the days of his grand- 

 father five bushels of potatoes was considered a 

 large crop for a farmer to raise. The nutritious 

 matter in the potato is much greater than that of 

 the turnip ; the least amount of watery matter he 

 had ever known in the potato was sixty-eight per 

 cent. The dryest kind of potato is always the best 

 for eating, but not always the most profitable to 

 raise, because they do not yield so well in all cases. 



The late returns show that the average crop in 

 Massachusetts is less than one hundred bushels to 

 the acre. He had heard, on good authority, of a 

 farmer in Belchertown, who raised 800 bushels for- 

 merly on one acre. That was the largest crop he 

 had ever heard of. As to the price of potatoes for- 

 merly compared with the present, he stated that he 

 had known as good potatoes sold, twenty-five years 

 ago, for ninepence a bushel, as can be bought now 

 for a dollar a bushel. Referring to the potato rot, 

 he said that the best botanists had not been able to 

 ascertain the cause of the rot, nor the remedy for 

 it. Many think it a disease that attacks the inner 

 membrane of the cellular tissue ; and in Germany 

 they just start up the potatoes, when growing, then 

 leave them standing in the hill. He said that he 

 doubted whether the Chairman could satisfy any 

 committee that he had reached the true remedy. 

 In England they had tried raising potatoes from 

 seeds, as recommended by the Chairman, but had 

 failed to cure the disease by that process. 



There is another root — the mangel wurzel — 

 which he thought demanded the attention of farm- 

 ers. Very large crops may be raised; and a very 

 large proportion of its nourishment, as well as that 

 of turnips, is derived from the atmosphere. Pars- 

 nips may be raised with great profit, it is said, for 

 feeding to cows. Some regard parsnips as valuable 

 for milk cows as carrots. Every farmer should raise 

 that which will be most valuable to him for feeding 

 to his cattle. He was satisfied that a farmer could 

 keep more stock from an acre of turnips, than an 

 acre of grass or hay. There are some hundred and 

 fifty kinds of potatoes cultivated, but only a few are 

 really valuable, or profitable. The sweet potato 

 can be raised with profit in Massachusetts, by start- 

 ing them in hot beds and planting in the open air 

 early in May. He lioped farmers who have land 

 suitable for that crop would endeavor to introduce 

 its cultivation more extensively. 



Mr. W. J. BucKMixsTER said that last year he 

 cultivated sixteen varieties of potatoes; but he 

 found only a few kinds of much value. The Che- 

 nango and the Davis Seedling were spoken of as 

 among the best in all respects, if not the very best. 

 He did not think that potatoes raised from the seed 

 were sure not to rot. Changes take place by culti- 

 vation, in many crops, sometimes for the better, 



