▼OL. X\t. NO. S«. 



AND HORTICULTURAL REGISTER, 



187 



'{rginia : "Farmers' Register," Richmond, 



monthly, !• 



ihode Islaiid : "Manufacturer and Farmer's 



Journal," Providence, 1. 



I have seen it stated in some quarter that the 

 ggrcgate monthly circulation of the agricultural 

 pers of the United States is about 250,000 copies, 

 'his e.^timate appears rather too high ; for suppose 

 neh^Hof the 35 papers I have enumerated, or 

 ly 17, to be published weekly, and the IS month- 

 r, this will give SG publications per month, and 

 ssu.'ning each paper to print 3000 copies, which is 

 large average circulation for all, this will give a 

 onthly issue of 253,000." 



From the Conn. Farmer's Gazette. 



THE POTATO. 



Uses, Mode of Cultivation, Peservation. 



In our preceding number we published an article 

 iving the origin and history of the Potato, from 

 le year 1619 to the present time, in the various 

 luntries where it has been cultivated. Since its 

 itrinal discovery, its edible qualities have been 

 reatly meliorated by cultivation. Great changes 

 »ve also been effected in the science of cooking, 

 rendering it more palatable. Like all other veg- 

 ables, it needs the fostering care of man to pre- 

 !nt its deterioration, as any particular improved 

 lecics is known to degenerate in the course of a 

 w years. 



The potato has met with many hard rubs in the 

 oTess of its improvement and introduction into 

 vilized society. It was considered for a long 

 Tie, in some countries, as unfit for human food, 

 ven religious and political prejudices were stirred 

 ( ageinst it, till it was almost banished from the 

 nd. In Scotland it was opposed because not 

 imed in the Bible. The Catholics thought it was 

 e forbidden fruit, and therefore sinful to eat it. 

 he famous Cobbett, while in America, would not 

 t it have any peace, but posted it as the vilest of 

 1 the vegetable race. He charged all the mis- 

 ies and evils of Ireland to their eating so many 

 tatoos, when it is the only thing by which they 

 cape starvation. 



Dr. Tissot has demonstrated to his satisfaction, 

 at no nation who eat potatoes ever produced a 

 eat man. 



Its general cultivation was not introduced 

 roughout Europe till about 1760. Now it is un- 

 estionably the most valuable of all cultivated 

 ots. It constitutes the principal food of the Irish 

 tion — the constant diet of more than one-third of 

 eir population. It is in common use throughout 

 I Europe, and much of the civilized part of Asia. 

 the United States and the British dominions, on 

 is continent, scarce a family is without a dish of 

 on the table, in some form, twice a day at least. 

 3 an article of diet, it is probably more healthful 

 an any other root, and furnishes more food for 

 m than all other roots put together. 

 The numerous ways in which it may be cooked 

 A converted to useful purposes, is surprising, 

 'om it are made bread, pies, puddings, jellies, 

 rup?, molasses, sugar starch, beer; brandy, cheese, 

 dlow dyes, and other dye stuffs, cleansing liquids 

 remove grease and stains from silk, cotton and 

 ooUen goods, substitutes and imitations of coffee, 

 locolate, arrowroot, tapioca and vermicelli. 

 As an article of profit for general cultivation, 

 ine can compare with it in the vicinity of large 



cities and navigable waters. Tlio farmers of the 

 town of Greenwich, in Fairfield county, made this 

 discovery more than 45 years ago. Since that 

 time it has been their principal crop, gradually in- 

 creasing, by which they have become the most 

 wealthy town in the State, according to its popula- 

 tion. Bordering on the Sound, with a number of 

 good harbors, and their proximity to New York 

 city, their facilities for transportation, and advanta- 

 ges for a market, were highly favorable for their 

 pursuit. 



This township is composed of several ridges 

 ranging north and south, with a considerable por- 

 tion of rough, rocky, broken surface, and all fur- 

 nishing stone sufficient to fence it into small lots, 

 which the great industry and enterprise of its in- 

 habitants has, it a great measure, accomplished. 

 The soil is chiefly loam, with some small portion 

 of gravel, well adapted to the use of gypsum, and 

 the production of grass, corn, oats, potatoes, and 

 other roots. 



In raising potatoes, no manure has been so gen- 

 erally and profitable used as gypsum. Very little 

 has been done in the business of making compost. 

 The prevailing notion, that gypsum has no efficacy 

 on the sea-ehore, does not hold true here. More 

 of it may be necessary than in the interior, to pro- 

 duce good effect. But, preceded by any alkaline 

 substance as lime or ashes, in any soil where there 

 is any vegetable mould, there is no failure in effect, 

 unless temporarily, from a drought. The free use 

 of lime in this town would greatly enhance the ef- 

 fect of gypsum on any crop. The mode of culti- 

 vation in Greenwich has been tested by nearly 

 half R century's experience, and may therefore be 

 safely recommended. 



Turf land is generally preferred, plowed twice 

 or more, till well mellowed. The ground is mark- 

 ed with the plow into squares of about 30 inches, 

 which barely admits a horse with a small plow to 

 pass between the rows. One large, or two middle 

 size, or three, or more small potatoes, are dropped 

 in a hill, generally without cutting. A small table 

 spoonful of gypsum is then dashed on the seed be- 

 fore it is covered. When the tops are mostly out 

 of the ground, three or four inches, a plow is pass- 

 ed between the rows, turning the furrow from the 

 hills. Then a light brush harrow is drawn across 

 the furrows, which in part covers the tops, and 

 smothers, or eradicates all young weeds. No hoe 

 is used at this plowing. After the second plow- 

 ing, turning the furrows towards the rows, the hoe 

 is applied to clear around the hills, and give them 

 a little fresh earth, where the plow has not already 

 done it. Previous to the next plowing, (generally 

 with one horse,) another small handful of gypsum is 

 sometimes dashed on the hill, and perhaps more 

 frequently sown broad cast. The plow, in good 

 tillage, is passed between the rows often enough to 

 subdue the weeds, previous to, or about the time 

 the blossoms begin to put out ; but the hoe is seU 

 dom used more than twice, and without much hill- 

 ing up. 



Where gypsum is applied, the potatoes are all 

 nearly of one size, much more so than when barn, 

 or any compost manure, is used. An average crop 

 on well tilled, plastered land, is about 200 bushels 

 per acre. Farmers, with one hundred acre farms, 

 generally raise from 800 to 2000 bushels regularly, 

 in favorable seasons, besides corn and other grains 

 and vegetables. We know one farmer who, ten or 

 fifteen years ago, frequently planted from 50 to 90 

 acres, and remember one crop of 16,000 bushels. 



For many years, this town, according to our es- 

 timate, furnished more potatoes for the New York 

 market than all the other towns bordering on the 

 Sound. Stamford next engaged in the business, 

 and still pursues it to her great benefit, though it 

 has not as great proportion of good soil for the 

 purpose as Greenwich. 



When the city of Now York contained 75,000 

 inhabitants, Greenwich furnished them with from 

 200 to 250,000 bushels annually. They frequent- 

 ly obtained a dollar a bushel during some part of 

 the winter season when there was a scant crop. 

 It was no uncommon thing for men to purchase a 

 few acres of land at the price of 100 dollars and 

 upwards, and pay for it by a single crop of pota- 

 toes. There are several sloops which perform 

 weekly trips to New York, and seldom go without 

 being chiefly freighted with this article. 



The Greenwich mode of preserving them an- 

 swers better than any within our knowledge. Some 

 make large cellars on descending ground, cover 

 them with plank in the form of a roof, and put on 

 a covering of earth and sod of proper thickness to 

 prevent frost from entering. In that case the pota- 

 toes have to be carted to the cellar, which cannot 

 always be convenient to every part of the farm. 

 But many, to save this labor and expense, scrape 

 off or smooth down the loose earth in some dry con- 

 venient place in the potato field, to which the pota- 

 toes are carried in the baskets as they are dug. 

 The heap, if of great magnitude, is extended north 

 and south, the top forming a ridge in the shape of 

 a barn roof, at an angle of about 45 degrees. A 

 coat of unbroken rye straw, of sufficient thickness 

 to keep the earth from coming in contact with the 

 potatoes, is put on in such a position as to conduct 

 the water ofl[, if any should reach it. Throw on 

 the earth by digging a trench around the heap, be- 

 ginning at the bottom of the straw, going around 

 till the whole is covered. In this way the earth 

 will press down the straw, which prevents its run- 

 ning through to the potatoes. Make the covering 

 thick enough to guard against frost. Twelve or 

 fourteen inches of earth is sufficient for our com- 

 mon winters. Be sure to put on enough, as it 

 costs nothing but a little labor. The trench you 

 make will prevent the water from getting into the 

 heap. If you are careful to keep your potatoes 

 from the wind and sun as much as possible while 

 digging, you will find them as good when opened 

 in the spring as when put up in the fall. 



MASS. HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



EXHIBITION OF FRUITS. 



Saturday, Dec. 3, 1842. 

 Beurre d' Aremberg, Glout Morceau, Passe Col- 

 mar and Columbian Virgalieu Pears — fine speci- 

 mens — from Col. Wilder, President of the Society. 

 Mens. Le Cure, or Burgomaster of Boston Pears 

 — fine specimens — from Samuel Walker, Esq. 

 For the Committee, 



B. V. FRENCH. 



None knew how to draw long bills on futurity, 

 that never will be honored, better than Mahomet. 

 He possessed himself of a large stock of real pre- 

 sent pleasure and power here, by promising a vision- 

 ary quantum of those good things to his followers 

 hereafter; and like the maker of an almanac, made 

 his fortune in this world, by telling absurd lies 

 about another. — Lacon. 



