NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



157 



For the New England Farmer. 

 THE POTATO ROT. 



A t a time like the present, when disease has at- 

 tacked the potato crop with such violence as to 

 threaten its entire destruction, it should be the aim 

 of every farmer to preserve a portion of that valu- 

 able crop, if he cannot find a remedy for the dis- 

 ease. 



With a view of ascertaining, as nearly as prac- 

 ticable, what variety of potatoes is most hardy, I 

 planted twelce varieties last spring, several of which 

 were entirely healthy at harvest time, and remain 

 so. I commenced digging about the 20th of 9th 

 month. At that time potatoes were badly diseased 

 in many parts of the country, and here it was 

 thought that but few would be saved; but for- 

 tunately, the malady was soon checked, and farm- 

 ers sustained but little loss from its ravages. 



I planted several varieties on rich land, and 

 manured them in the hills; — some with manure 

 from the hog-pen, and some with horse manure. — 

 Where the latter was used, but few infected pota- 

 toes were found; with the former, disease was 

 much more prevalent. Some hills that had no 

 manure in them were nearly free from rot. My 

 Chenangoes on this piece were about one-fourth 

 rotten, while some planted without manure, on 

 light, new land, were nearly free from infection. — 

 Finger potatoes yielded well, and about one-sixth 

 were infected. Kidney potatoes I consider worth- 

 less to plant; they are excellent for the table 

 Avhen sound, but mine were nearly all rotten. I 

 planted two varieties of red potatoes, which are 

 new in this neighborhood. Not knowing the par- 

 ticular name, I will describe them. One is nearly 

 a purple, and resembles the old white potato 

 in shape. The other is colored like the Long 

 Red, but is larger in circumference and not so 

 long. Both varieties produced well, but the for- 

 mer was more diseased than the latter. These are 

 fine table potatoes, and, if they continue healthy, 

 will probably take the place of the Chenangoes 

 and other varieties that are so liable to rot. The 

 Cow Horns were healthy and produced well. One 

 variety which I planted was produced from the 

 seed a few years since. They are generally un- 

 certain, but mine were sound last year. 



The greater part of my potatoes were planted 

 without manure, on new land containing a consid- 

 erable portion of what we call scurf. On such 

 land the potato disease has seldom done much dam- 

 age. I planted the long reds, and the common 

 white potatoes. But very few infected ones were 

 found in either variety, though fewer among the 

 long reds than among the whites. This strength- 

 ens the opinion I have a long time entertained, — 

 that the red potatoes are more hardy than most 

 other varieties, and, in these times, more profitable 

 to plant for a main crop. The common white po- 

 tato is an old and a hardy variety, but it is by no 

 means free from rot. 



I have now given the result of the past year's 

 experience. I hope others will try experiments, 

 and give their results to the public. This will en- 

 able us to come at correct conclusions. 



L. Varnky. 



Sandwich, N. H., -id Mo. 25, 1851. 



too much neglected. On planting many varieties 

 — which experiment may be made in a small way 

 — we not only learn the very important fact, which 

 is most hardy against the rot, but other important 

 facts also, as we learn which are the earliest, the 

 most productive, and of the best quality, when 

 raised under the same circumstances. 



Fur the New England Farmer. 

 TO PREVENT THE TASTE OF TURNIPS, 

 &C., IN BUTTER. 



Mr. Cole: — Mr. Weeks, of Vt., makes an inquiry 

 in Nov. number, '50 — for a cure of the taste com- 

 municated to butter and milk, who use turnips and 

 other roots for their milch cows. When I have 

 used roots and washed them, and sprinkled a little 

 salt on them, I have found no bad taste to the 

 milk. I was acquainted with a farmer who milked 

 20 cows, and knowing he used a great quantity of 

 turnips; and I made a remark what good butter he 

 had, and asked him how he managed to have it 

 so good, using so many turnips. He replied, "My 

 wife has a very simple receipt, which is this. When 

 she churns she reserves a portion of buttermilk from 

 the last churning, adds to the cream when she 

 churns, and a small portion of saltpetre, about a 

 pint to six cows; if this should not have the de- 

 sired effect, add a little more." 



If you think the foregoing receipt worth a place 

 in your columns, it is at your service. 



I remain yours, A Subscriber. 



April Uth, 1851. 



Remarks. — The course pursued by friend Var- 

 ney is a very good one, and one which has been 



For the Neiv England Farmer. 

 PRUNING FRUIT TREES. 



Mr. Cole: — I seldom see a man in the act of 

 trimming fruit or ornamental trees, or hear the axe 

 resound from the orchard, but that the poetic ex- 

 pression, "Woodman, spare that tree," comes viv- 

 idly to mind. Too often the attempt at pruning, 

 or trimming, bears strong marks of mutilating. I 

 know of no general, or in fact of any rule for improv- 

 mg trees in their appearance or condition. And I 

 presume that many others are as much in the dark 

 upon the subject as I am. Each one that practices, 

 or attempts pruning, seems to me to be guided by 

 his own taste or discretion, or by his ambition to 

 equal or excel others in relieving trees of their 

 limbs. All appear to be desirous of being consid- 

 ered in the height of fashion, or at least fashion- 

 able in this respect. The limbs of trees are un- 

 doubtedly as useful and necessary in the growth 

 and support of the tree as the roots are. And a tree 

 is no more likely to have a superabundance of the 

 one, than the other. There will be no more unnat- 

 ural growth of the one than the other. And it 

 would seem that a limb would not grow, unless 

 agreeably to the nature and condition of the tree. 

 No branch or sprout puts forth, but must be in ac- 

 cordance with the necessity and wants of nature 

 in the plant. It is not for man to say where limbs 

 shall grow and where they shall not grow, unless 

 he can discern the mystery of the vegetable growth 

 and support. It cannot be possible that the limbs 

 of trees grow at random, and that it is a lottery 

 whether any grow in the right spot, position or 

 form. The leaves are said to perform the office of 

 lungs, and the roots that of the stomach, in the veg- 



