VOL. XIV. >"0. 5. 



AND GARDENER'S JOURNAL 



37 



ho (lilt tlirowii out by the plough, so as to facilitate 

 ho picking out the potatoes. 



This mode of cultivating and taking up the 

 ;rop, reduces the labor, in my estimation, nearly 

 >no half. 



To obviate the difllculty as to keeping, I put 

 ny potatoes in a granger in the cellar, putting 

 :hair or dry dirt around aiul on them — put them 

 jp the same day they are dug. When freezing 

 ivcathcr eomes on, close the cellar windows. In 

 his way I had sweet potatoes for the table through- 

 )Ut the last cold winter. 



Plant about the first of April, and be sure to 

 lig after the first frost hard enough to bite the 

 eaves. — Ohio Farmer. 



rFrom the Massaclaiselta Fpy.] 

 PREJirUM POTATOES. 



Mr Editor — In one of your late papers was 

 published a Report of a Committee of the Agii- 

 ultural Society on the subject of a premium to 

 30 awarded for the best kind of Potatoes,in which 

 ( was named as a competitor. The kind I offered 

 was a selection from six different sorts in repute 

 IS good for the whole season. The seed was 

 iindly furnished me, twelve years ago, by Blr 

 fonathau Whipple of Uxbridge, a gentleman 

 ustly celebrated for his attention to this impor- 

 :ant article. On tlie 4th of July of the succeed- 

 ug year, I was so much pleased with their size 

 lud maturity, as to exhibit them at the Coffee 

 House opposite, where I met with two gentlemen 

 rom I'liiladelphia. On vievvingthem onereniark- 

 ;d to the other " here is the true Mercer jjotato, 

 he best kind ever raised in Pennsylvania." — 

 From this early period I have supplied many fam- 

 ilies with this kind ; and among others, the Chair- 

 nan of the Committee, with manj' bushels. I 

 .vas not aware that they were cultivated by any 

 nher person in this town, until I noticed their ri- 

 ■Tilship under the agency of Gen. Chamberlain. 

 [ stated to the Chairman the obvious marks of 

 heir identity ; and afterward by letter suggested 

 to the Committee the difficulty, which they disre- 

 garded, of ascertaining the "best kind" of two 

 parcels so incontestably alike. In such a dilemna, 

 could conceive, as I stated, no other course than, 

 ither to withhold the premium, or divide it, 

 should this kind be considered the best, in the 

 latter alternative, the Committee would be in pos- 

 session of a double quantity for distribution, 

 which, I supposed, of some importance. Gen. 

 Chamberlain was also satisfied that his and mine 

 were the same kind. To remove all "doubt," 

 having been informed, at planting time, by the 

 Chairman, that I " had leave to withdraw,"! 

 procured from my fortunate competitor half a 

 bushel of his kind, and planted them by the side 

 of those rejected, on which, no doubt, the Com- 

 inittes exercised their best skill and judgment. The 

 experiment proves our opinion correct. 



I agree with the Committee, that the specimen 

 they selected was in appearance, bettert ban mine. 

 For this I can account with but little agency from 

 "worms"; and less from " heavy ground," having 

 none of this description in tillage. To meet the 

 views of the Society, and to conform to practice 

 in all other matters of exhibition, 1 supposed it 

 necessary that potatoes, with other articles pre- 

 sented for inspection, should be displayed at the 

 Cattle Show, early in October. 1 was not aware 

 thatthe Committee would suspend their duty until 

 the following May — (in April they were not ready 



to report) — unfortunately my sample kept its stand 

 probably by my negligence, until ! was notified in 

 December of their exposure. They were the 

 transferred to a dry cellar of the Chairman, where 

 they eom|detcd their six montlu<)' probation. Their 

 unsightly and shrivelh'd condition from this trying 

 ordeal, 1 am rejoiced to perceive, has not changed 

 the kind. Their competitors were presented, 

 fresh and fair, fvoni their winter quarters — but 

 are now no better than mine. 



]n justification of the award the Committee say 

 — " The two parcels may be of the same kind — 

 but of this they had some doubt." Some doubt ? 

 If so, why not wait two months longer and ascer- 

 tain the fact — and as practical farmers, on a very 

 simple subject, be enabled to make a correct and 

 positive opinion .-' They stale that mine were of 

 " goo<l size," though "appearing to have been 

 grown in heavy ground, and being much eaten by 

 worms." From the test above mentioned, the 

 Committee will admit that this may have been 

 the case without affecting the " kind," to which, 

 by their commission, the investigation was solely 

 directed. Notwithstanding their " doubt," they 

 have furnished such evidence of their similarity 

 as would satisfy most other farmers of their iden- 

 tity. 



They further say, " they have the appear- 

 ance of being a valuable kind" ; and they have 

 furnished ample demonstration, that they consid- 

 ered them good. Whatever was originally the 

 fact, it is now apparent, that they have been 

 "much eaten." 



Let me assure the gentlemen of the Committee, 

 that this communication is in no measure dictated 

 by any feeling of disappointment in not receiving 

 or sharing the premium. I should, however, hjive 

 been better satisfied, could they have shown that 

 niv friend. General Chamberlain, had better claims 

 and that the premium has been of any practical 

 benefit to the Society. But having lost it, I feel a 

 regret that it is not compensated in obtaining in 

 common with other members of the Society a 

 better kind than what I have long possessed. 



Respectfully, O. Fiske. 



Worcester, Aug. 3, 1835. 



[From the Vermont Chronicle. ] 

 OATMEAIi VS. DYSPEPSIA. 



Messrs Editors — It will be admitted that 

 Dyspepsia is the most fashionable disease of the 

 land, but not the most comfortable. As a physi- 

 cian described it, " It is any thing but health." 

 Of course according to Yankee usage, prescri])- 

 tions have been made for its cure by all sorts of 

 men, and made to amount to almost all sorts of 

 things. But after all the lectures, and all the pre- 

 scribed preventives, many people have it, and 

 some will have it till they die. It seems to as- 

 sume more and more alarming types, and to have 

 less respect to persons. Suitable exercise and 

 plain diet, are doubtless the prime and ever to be 

 approved prescriptions in this case. Doubtless 

 the Graham system will benefit many. Its gener- 

 al features, so far as I understand them, must be 

 approved, though some danger may accrue in in- 

 dividual cases from over-strained abstinence. 

 Dyspeptics will learn after a season to abstain 

 mostly from meats, puddings, and the like, and 

 subsist chiefly on bread. This has been known, 

 and hence no one article has become so celebrated 

 as the bread of unbolted wheat. But for one, I 



am wholly surprised at this, since another article 

 is so fur prcfi;rable. Personal experience, and 

 abundant testimony from others, induces me to 

 say without hesitation, that the Oaten hreail is 

 a much better article. 



TIk! oatmeal is obtained from oats, kiln driinl, 

 hulled and ground. It is mnniifactnred extensive- 

 ly iu the north of Vermont and Canada. X''" 

 town of Barnet can furnish abundance, and any 

 miller can prepare it with little expense, and any 

 firming couutry furnish the material, even where 

 wheat is not grown. 



When prepared, the meal can much more easily 

 be jircservedin a good state, and for a longer time, 

 than the unsifted wheat. The only thing is to 

 keep it dry, closely packed, atid secured from air. 



And the expense is actually much less than of 

 wheat. In this section, this season, it is furnished 

 for S'2,50 to 3,00 per hundred, and the value per 

 pound is at least one fourth more than that of 

 wheat, because it contains so much greater share 

 of nourishment. 



Bread made from the meal of oats is the most 

 simple, and nutritious, and digestible that can be 

 furnished. The proper and best method of pro- 

 paring it, is simply to mix the water till about the 

 consistence of paste, add sufficient salt, spread in 

 pans or other vessels ,is thin a cake as possible, and 

 bake I'lW perfectly dried. The oalshaving been pre- 

 viously dried, the necessity of yeast is wholly ex- 

 cluded. Bread of this kind will never he heavy. 

 Nor will it form a pasty matter, like that which so 

 often distresses one after eating flour bread ; and 

 the particles of the meal being so coarse, it is cer- 

 tainly excelled by no bread in preventing constipa- 

 tion. It produces too, less acidity, antl less dis- 

 tension of the stomach, than wheat, and the 

 eflff-ct to satisfy hunger, and prevent lassitude and 

 faintness, is more abiding. 



One other quality which renders the oaten 

 bread of this kind necessarily good, is, that it 

 must be thoroughly masticated ; whereas many 

 have sustained serious loss from taking their meals, 

 and even the Graham bread too hastily. 



Those who will substitute this, will find the 

 embargo duly imposed in the quality of the bread 

 itself. On the whole, from actual experience of 

 the utility of this article, I could prescribe it for 

 all who are not afflicted with the popular disease, 

 as being the most hopeful preventive, and to 

 those who have it, as being the best antidote yet 

 devised. And were it to be adopted by students 

 in our seminaries, it would tend essentially to pro- 

 long the life and perpetuate the energies of many 

 a young man, destined for the service of the 

 church. Yours, P. 



There ! — if P., who lives up North, has not 

 said enough to attract the attention of dietic re- 

 formers generally, audof dyspeptics in particular, 

 to the virtues of an oatmeal diet, we shall give 

 them over. We hold ourselves entitled to the 

 special thanks of our excellent friends iu Barnet, 

 for laying this communication before the public. 

 We are tempted to add an expression of wonder 

 that oatmeal having been so long and generally 

 known as a light and delicate article of diet in the 

 sick-room and nursery, has been so long overlook- 

 ed bv caterers for malcontent stomachs. — Editom, 



He who bestows on you more attention than 

 usual, either has deceived you, or intends to 

 do so. 



