MONTHLY 



JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE 



VOL. III. MARCH, 1848. NO. 9. 



MISCELLANEOUS NOTES AND EXTRACTS 



ON A VARIETY OF SUBJECTS. 



An absence, longer than usual at this season, has brought an accumulation of 

 agricultural contributions, in various forms, which, as yet, we have not had time 

 to examine, much less to digest. It will need some share of diligence to look it 

 over and turn it to account, before a fresh supply will come to demand the same 

 attention. 



We do not know how a few pages may be occupied in a manner more likely 

 to entertain and benefit the reader, than by stringing together, as we go alonf, 

 such items as may appear to be adapted to the season, and to the circumstances 

 and uses of the greatest number of our patrons. With these objects and considera- 

 tions in view, it will be allowable just now to say more about the Potato than 

 has been our custom, since of all esculents there is none so universally culti- 

 vated, and moreover the time for planting for early use is at hand. 



We may begin by premising that a gentleman lately informed us that, what- 

 ever doubts may, and certainly do, still exist as to the cause of the Potato mal- 

 ady — in the neighborhood of Philadelphia, where the subject has so attracted 

 particular notice as to lead to some investigation, there are some points which 

 experience appears to have settled as tending to give a better chance of a savino" 

 crop— as, for instance, liberal manuring, and early and deep plantino-. 



Mr. Gowan, the well and widely known patron and exemplar of agricultural 

 improvements, has given particular attention to this subject, and it is said made, 

 last year, a crop of 1,500 bushels of the finest quality. Our informant stated that 

 he had lately refused $500 for 500 busiiels. Supposing an acre to be sufficiently- 

 well manured to produce 60 bushels of Indian corn, may it not be said that it 

 would yield 200 of potatoes ? The former at 60 cents would be worth |36 to the 

 acre, while the latter at $i would yield $200. Now who will give us a calcula- 

 tion as to the difference in the labor and cost of cultivation and transportation to 

 market, so as to arrive, as nearly as may be, to the net profit ? As a general 

 thing it would, periiaps, not be safe, however, to count upon more than 100 

 bushels of potatoes to the acre, nor on a price exceeding 50 cents on the farm. 



As, however, the Potato disease was extensive the past season, and appears to 

 be spreading southward in the United States, it may be useful to many to learn 

 the result of expeiience as we find it detailed in the papers before us. 



;817) '^7 



