No. 7. 



Culture of the Potatoe. 



211 



Hints as to the Culture of the Potatoe. 



So important is tliis subject in a country 

 which depends on it for half the food of the 

 million, that we should blame ourselves if 

 we omitted to communicate all that can af- 

 fect the cultivation, find it where we may. 

 Mr. Meacock had some years ago a work, 

 now defunct, called the " Floricultural Mag- 

 azine," and although perhaps this subject is 

 not altogether appropriate for such a work, 

 there appeared a paper by Mr. Appleby, on 

 the failure of the potatoe crops, then a sub- 

 ject of great complaint. We speak now of 

 1837, when the author, giving his notions of 

 the causes, ottered some very good practical 

 remarks, which will do for all times. 



From the experiments and observations I 

 have made, I have come to the conclusion, 

 says the author, that the causes of the fail- 

 ure in the potatoe crops are — first, over ripe- 

 ness of the seed ; second, keeping them too 

 long, and in too large quantities, in the pits, 

 and cutting, and when cut, leaving them in 

 the sheds until they are too much dried; 

 third, too late and too close planting. 



First, then, on the over ripening of the 

 seed. By seed, I mean the increasing tu- 

 bers, which, although commonly called so, 

 are but root bulbs or tubers, all of which 

 terms are used. The true seed is contained 

 in what is vulgarly called "the potatoe 

 crab;" if, however, the true seed were 

 oftener sown, and the more improved varie- 

 ties selected, superior and improved kinds 

 would be obtained, which would prove of 

 inestimable benefit to the present and suc- 

 ceeding generations. By over ripeness, is 

 meant the allowing the tubers to remain in 

 the ground until the tops are quite dead, by 

 which the vegetable sap contained in the 

 bulb for reproducing the future plant, is par- 

 tially dried up and exhausted, and, by a 

 natural chemical process, becomes farina- 

 ceous, or mealy, a quality extremely desira- 

 ble — in fact, indispensable for the table — 

 but too otlen injurious, and never advan- 

 tageous as to producing a crop the succeed- 

 ing year. To prevent this, the remedy is 

 easy, simple, and obvious: — take up those 

 intended for seed as soon as they have at- 

 tained to their full size, while the tops are 

 yet green. This I have tried to a consider- 

 able extent, and am quite satisfied of its im- 

 portance as a point in culture to be particu- 

 larly attended to. I may mention, as a 

 collateral proof, that in the Lowlands of 

 Scotland, and other parts of Great Britain, 

 it is found necessary to obtain from the 

 Highlands seed of the variety of potatoe 

 known as the Red-nosed Kidney, as they 

 soon wear out, or prove, as the popular opin- 



ion is, that the ground does not suit them 

 more than one year; but, in my opinion, it 

 is owing to the over-ripening of the seed in 

 the warm valleys of the Lowlands, and 

 elsewhere. Now, in the Highlands the 

 frost in autumn sets in before the tops de- 

 cay, and the seed, or sets, in consequence, 

 contain the vegetating vigor, which makes 

 them so valuable as to be sent for at consi- 

 derable expense, on account of the distance, 

 to plant the succeeding season. 



Second ; keeping them too long and in 

 too large quantities in the pits, and cutting, 

 and when cut leaving them in the shed until 

 they are too much dried. As the warm wea- 

 ther of spring advances, potatoes in the pits 

 will be growing, and, if neglected, will be 

 so long sprouted as to rise out of the pits in 

 large clusters, the new roots and sprouts 

 binding them together. It becomes neces- 

 sary then to pluck or cut them off — roots, 

 shoots, and all — in order to separate the 

 bulbs to be planted : then, still more to 

 weaken the vegetable life, and, as if to try 

 how nuich the poor bulb will bear, a knife 

 is unmercifully applied, and the root is di- 

 vided into two, three, four, ;or sometimes 

 into six sets. In this still further weakened 

 state, can it be expected that the start to 

 grow will be vigorous, the plants produced 

 fine, or the crop large! May it not rather 

 be looked for that some, if not all, so treated 

 will perish"? 



Under this head it may be mentioned, 

 that the heaping up such large quantities, 

 from six to twelve, or more cart-loads in 

 each pit, is any thing but advantageous. 

 Where vegetables are heaped together in 

 the most favourable condition, fermentation 

 will in some degree take place ; and in the 

 case of potatoes, the heat arising from such 

 fermentation will cause them to start much 

 earlier, long before the time to plant, espe- 

 cially if that work be put off" until the so 

 considered, more important operations of 

 spring be over. 



By too many cultivators this useful vege- 

 table has not done with its trials yet. The 

 operation of cutting the bulbs into sets, can 

 be done under cover on rainy days ; hence 

 the gardener or farmer sets his hands on 

 such days to cut potatoes. Now, after hav- 

 ing undergone the heating, sprouting, and 

 cutting, the sets are tjirown up in a heap, 

 under a shed or cow-house, and there left 

 until circumstances as to time and weather 

 are favourable to commit them to the earth; 

 and if the season is far advanced when that 

 does take place, the soil will probably be 

 dry, and will suck out of the sets all, or 

 nearly so, of the sap left after so many 

 hardships. 



