210 [Assembly 



Prof. Mapes — Potatoes are raised in London in cellars in a sort 

 of hot-bed. They are sold in the market for about thirty cents a 

 pound. Their plants give no balls, and are untit to re-plant. 



Mr. Robinson — Well sir, we are paying at the rate of six dol- 

 lars a bushel. Mr. R. read a letter from Timothy Dudley, of 

 Jacksonville, III. Mr. Dudley says: 



" I see by your reports of the Farmer's Club, in the Tribune, 

 that your next meeting will discuss the subject of potatoes, and 

 as I cannot be present to take part in your discussion, I send you 

 some of ray views upon paper. I think my mode of culture a 

 very good one when potatoes are $1, or even fifty cents a bushel, 

 and hope it may prevent the rot. At any rate, I should like to 

 have somebody who is troubled with that difhculty in potato cul- 

 ture try the experiment. My method ot planting is quite dif- 

 ferent from that of any other person I know. I put the seed in 

 drills just wide enough apart t) hoe between, and when the 

 sprouts are up four or five inches, I draw them and transplant in 

 hills where they are to grow, three sprouts in a hill. My second 

 crop, May 26, is now nearly ready for transplanting. This method 

 of transplanting has many advantages over the old one, especially 

 as the young plants are as hardy as cabbages, and can be trans- 

 planted with as much, if not more j^peed, than those of the old 

 method. Other advantages I will name : 



First. When you have a choice kind of seed and but little of it, 

 and want to make one bushel go as far as ten would in the old 

 way. 



Second. You can have your ground fresh plowed at the time 

 of transplanting, and thus g t a good start of the weeds, which is 

 something of an object in f«ml lands. 



Third. By transplanting, if the season is at all fovorable, you 

 get no small potatoes ; they are of uniform size, and very g od 

 size at that. As a matter of course in transplanting any kind of 

 vegetables, the best time is just before a shower, and care being 

 taken to cover the long fibrous roots deep enough. 



