Proceedings of the Farmer;^ Club. 403 



Gulf, from the Atlantic shore to the Pacific Ocean. The exi^eri- 

 menters of it are the North American farmers — a more intelligent 

 corps of observers than any monarch could ever employ. All we 

 need is to collect the results of their experience, to derive from 

 them the facts which show us the unerring truth. 



Let us step forward, then, and tell our farmers that we are ready 

 to cooperate with them, that the results of their experiments shall 

 no more be lost. Let us lend them a helping hand, and thus make 

 the American Institute in reality the National Institute of America, 



At the conclusion of this paper, the thanks of the Club were 

 tendered to the author. 



HOW TO GROW EARLY POTATOES. 



ISIr. J, C. Thompson, Tompkins ville, Staten Island, then read the 

 following article, which will be fomid an excellent appendix to Dr. 

 Hexamer's paper about potatoes; he said: 



Gentlemen of the Farmers' Club: At our last meeting I exhibited 

 & small box containing sixty sets or eyes, cut from one pound of 

 early Goodrich potatoes, sprouted in fine sand, kept moist by occa- 

 sionally watering with tepid water. Those who saw them will 

 recollect the sprouts were from one two inches long, and the fine root- 

 lets pushing out from the sprouts were about six inches in length, 

 and all in fine condition for planting. The sets exhibited had been 

 in the box about two weeks, and kept in a warm place. Perhaps 

 there is no subject that more deeply interests alike the poor and 

 the rich than the successful cultivation of potatoes of fine quality, 

 that produce well and keep well. Many of you will recollect that 

 Mr. D. S. Hefii'on, of Utica, New York, (the worthy successor of 

 Mr. Goodrich), addressed the Club a few weeks since on the habits 

 of the potato, and its great value as food for the human family. 

 ;Mr. Hefii'onthen said, " The potato is the poor man's bread; " allow 

 me to add, that I regard it as not only the poor man's bread, but 

 the rich man's luxury — for there are few of either class who regard 

 their dinners complete without that invaluable vegetable, the potato. 

 With this brief prelude, I will proceed to describe my mode of 

 producing fine, early potatoes about two weeks sooner than when 

 planted in the ordinary way. 



Hoio to prepare sprouting boxes. — Prepare a set of shallow boxes 

 from two and a half to three inches deep — soap or candle boxes 

 slit twice length or flatwise will make three boxes of the required 

 depth, the top and bottom make two. leaving the middle piece to 



