16 



MONTHLY JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE. 



VARIETIES OF POTATOES FROM THE SEED. 



To Raise Vakietiks. — A variety of the po- 

 tato is generally considered to continue about 

 fourteen years in perfection, after which period 

 it ijradually loses its good qualities, becoming 

 of inferior flavor and unproductive ; fresh varie- 

 ties must, therefore, bo occasionally raised from 

 seed. The berries, or apples, of the old stock, 

 having hung in a warm room throughout the 

 \vinter, the seed must be obtained from them 

 by washing away the pulp during Februaiy. 

 This is thoroughly dried and kept until April, 

 and then sownin drills about half an inch deep 

 and six inches apart, in a rich, light soil. The 

 plants are weeded, and earth drawn up to their 

 stems, when au inch in bight ; as soon as this 

 has increased to three inches they are moved into 

 a similar soil, in rows sixteen inches apart each 

 way, and during their future growth earthed up 

 two or three times. Being finally taken up, in 

 the course of October, they must be preserved 

 until the following spring, to be then re-planted 

 and treated as for store crops. 



Some gardeners sow in a moderate hotbed, 

 very thin, in drills the same depth as above, and 

 nine inches apart. Water is frequently and plen- 

 tifully poured between the rows, and earth 

 drawn about the .stems of the seedlings until 

 they are a few inches in bight. They are then 

 transplanted into row.s, water given, and earth- 

 ing performed as usual. The only additional 

 advantage of this plan is, that as the seed can be 

 sown earlier, the tubers attain a rather larger 

 size the first year. 



It is to be remarked that the tubers of every 

 seedling should be kept separate, as scarcely 

 two will be of a similar habit and quality, while 

 many will be comparatively worthless, and but 

 few of particular excellence. If the seed is ob- 

 tained from a red potato that flowered iu the 

 neighborhood of a white-tubered variety, the 

 seedlings, in all probability, will in part resem- 

 ble both their parents; but seldom or never 

 does a seedling resemble exactly the original 

 stock. At all events, only such should be pre- 

 served as are recommended by their superior 

 earliness, size, flavor, or fertility. 



The early varieties — if j)lantod on little heaps 

 of earth, with a stake in the middle, and when 

 the plants are about four inches high being se- 

 cured to the stakes with shreds and nails, and 

 the earth washed away from the bases of the 

 stems by means of a strong cuiTent of water, so 

 that the fibrous roots only enter the soil — will 

 blo.ssom and perfect seed. 



Forcing. — The season for forcing is from the 

 close of December to the middle of February, 

 in a hot bed, and at the close of this last inonth 

 on a warm border, with the temporary shelter 

 of a frame. The hot-bed is only required to 

 produce a moderate heat. The earth should be 

 six inches deep, and the sets planted in rows 

 six or eight apart, as the tubers are not required 

 to be large. The temperature ought never to 

 sink below 65^, nor rise above 80°. 



The rank steam arising from fermenting dung 

 is undoubtedly injurious to the roots of potatoes ; 

 and to obviate this they may be planted in nar- 

 row beds, and the dung applied in trenches on 

 each side i or all the earth from an old cucum- 

 ber or other hotbed being removed, and an 

 inch in depth of fresh being added, put on the 

 sets, and cover them with four inches of mould. 

 At the end of five days the sides of the old dung 

 may be cut away in an inward slanting direc- 

 (64) 



tion, about fifteen inches from the perpendicu- 

 lar, and strong linings of hot dung applied. 



If the tubers are desired to be brought to ma- 

 turity as speedily as possible, instead of being 

 planted in die earth of the bed, each set should 

 be placed in a pot about six inches iu diameter ; 

 but the produce in pots is smaller. But young 

 potatoes may be obtained in the winter, accord- 

 ing to the following plan, without forcing : 



Plant some late kinds, unsprouted, in a dry 

 rich border, in July, and again in August, in 

 rows two feet apart. They will produce new 

 potatoes in October, and in succession until 

 April; if covered with leaves or straw to ex- 

 clude frost. If old potatoes are placed in dry 

 earth, in a shed, during August, they will emit 

 young tubers in December. 



Preparation of Sets for Forcing. — They 

 should be of the early varieties. To assist their 

 forward vegetation, plant a single potato in each 

 of the pots intended for forcing, during January. 

 Then place in ground, and protect with litter 

 from the frost. This renders them very excitable 

 by heat ; and, consequently, when plunged in a 

 hot-bed, they vegetate rapidly, and generate tu- 

 bers. The seed potatoes are equally assisted, 

 and with less trouble, if placed in a cellar just 

 in contact with each other, and as soon as the 

 germs are four inches long, are removed to the 

 the hot-bed. * 



Management. — More than one stem should 

 never be allowed, otherwise the tubers are 

 small, and not more numerous. 



Water must be given whenever the soil ap- 

 pears di'y, and in quantity proportionate to the 

 temperature of the air. Linings must be applied 

 as the temperature declines ; and air admitted 

 as freely as the temperature of the atmosphere 

 will allow. Coverings must be afTorded with 

 th(Miame regard to temperature. 



From .six to seven weeks usually elapse be- 

 tvi'een the time of planting and the fitness of the 

 tubers for use. The average produce from a light 

 soil is about five pounds. 



There is another mode of obtaining young po- 

 tatoes, daring the winter, which is much prac- 

 ticed on account of its facility ; though, being 

 produced without foliage, they are not so fine in 

 flavor, are deficient in farina, and are othersvise 

 inferior. Old potatoes often throw out from their 

 sides young ones, early in the spring ; and of this 

 habit advantage is taken in obtaining them still 

 earlier. Some full-grown and ripe tubers, of 

 the ox noble variety, that have no appeai'ance 

 of vegetating, must be laid alternately with lay- 

 ers of perfectly dry, rich vegetable mould, four 

 inches deep, in pans or boxes, until they are 

 filled. These may be placed in a thoroughly 

 dry shed, or on a shelf in the kitchen. If the 

 layers are constructed in the corner of a shed 

 or cellar, the produce will be equally good, 

 though longer in coming to perfection. No foli- 

 age is produced, the potatoes soon are sun-ound- 

 ed by numerous young ones of moderate size. 

 No water must ever be admitted on any ac- 

 count. Notice is to be taken that between three 

 and four months elapse between the time of 

 forming the layers and the fitness of the produce 

 for use. Thus if made early in September, the 

 crop will be ready in the course of December. 

 When they are examined, those that are fit may 

 be taken off, and the old potatoes replaced until 

 the remainder are feady. 



[JohnBon's Gardener's Dictionary. 



