330 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



AFRII' ao, 1835. 



drain in the spaces between the drills, which is 

 unnecessary and should be avoided. In filling 

 the trenches, dressing, &c. the horse-cart must be 

 dispensed with and a hand-cart or wheelbarrow 

 substituted. 



In recommending the drills north and south in 

 field planting, I did not wish to be understood 

 that other more valuable considerations should be 

 abandoned for this practice, it is desirable it 

 should be so where the level or moderate descent 

 of the land will admit of it, but if too steep and 

 liable to wash, care should be taken to avoid this 

 evil by running the drills in such direction as may 

 be required to maintain a jiroper descent, even if it 

 should be necessary to run them in curved lines, 

 or wind around a steep hill to preserve the requir- 

 ed descent to admit the surplus water to pass off. 

 In communicating my experiments to some of 

 my neighboring farmers who are always in a hur- 

 ry and run over with the plough two acres of 

 land in half the time required to do justice to 

 one ; their reply generally is, that my tedious 

 mode of cidtivation has too much piddling and 

 small labor for their patience, and persist in their 

 accustomed manner of half ploughing, half plant- 

 ing and half hoeing five acres of good land and 

 not obtain more potatoes than one, properly cul- 

 tivated, would produce, thereby losing half their 

 labor and seed, besides the use of four acres of 

 their best land, which might be converted to other 

 valuable purposes. 



I should think that intelligent farmers by a lit- 

 tle reflection would perceive the folly of pursuing 

 the usual wasteful practice of planting potatoes in 

 rows and hills four feet asunder, leaving four fifths 

 of their land unimproved and subject to a rai)id 

 waste of its most fertilizing qualities by being na- 

 kedly exposed to the washing of drenching rains 

 and the evaporation of the atmosphere ; and after 

 all their labor, may consider themselves fortu- 

 nate if they obtain 200 bushels to the acre, which 

 exceeds the average yield in this section of coun- 

 try. By pursuing the course I have recommend- 

 ed, in ordinary seasons on a good soil you may 

 rationally calculate on a crop of from 800 to 1200 

 bushels to the acre. 



To such farmers as complain of my tedious and 

 piddling mode of culture, I have only to remark, 

 if they will piddle their land in the same manner, 

 even if they waste half their crop, they will find 

 themselves richly rewarded for their wiiole labor, 

 in the benefits they derive by this preparation in 

 succeeding crops. I would also add' that I be- 

 lieve it is generally acknowledged, that rotation 

 in most kinds of crops is desirable, but none more 

 necessary than potatoes, even a second crop on 

 the same ground well i)repared will be found to 

 degenerate in quality and quantity. 



LOCATION. 



The district of country in North America best 

 adapted for their growth, taking into consideration 

 quantity and quality, is situated between the 2d 

 and 10th degrees of east longitude (from Wash- 

 ington) and between the 42d and 50th degrees of 

 north latitude ; they are grown to a very consid- 

 erable extent nnich farther north, south, and west, 

 but in diminished quantities and inferior qualities. 



A rich marl or clay is perhaps the most pro- 

 ductive ; a strong moist loamy soil, (the newer or 

 less it has been cultivated the better) is the most 

 convenient and least expensive soil to grow them 



on. Most soils common to our country will pro- 

 duce them in great abundance and perfection, the 

 more rapid the growth, the better the quality. 



SEASON FOR PLANTING. 



In this respect they are a most accommodating 

 crop, allowing the former in the southern and cen- 

 tral part of the designated district, 20 or 30 days to 

 perform the operation; the particular part depends 

 in a very considerable degree upon the climate, in 

 the region of my residence, the 44th degree of 

 north latitude, they may be planted from the 10th 

 of May to the 15th of June. At the extreme 

 north of the described limits less latitude is 

 afforded for seed time and harvest. The good 

 husbandman in that climate should make all prac- 

 ticable preparation for his crop in the fall, and 

 plant as early in the spring as the ground is suf- 

 ficiently dry and warm ; here the growth is ex- 

 tremely rapid, not requiring more than from 90 to 

 110 days to perfect it ; the quautity will not be 

 quite so great as with us, but superior in quality. 



KIND OF SEED TO BE PLANTED. 



This is a question of too much difficiiky for 

 me to answer satisfactorily to myself, or instruc- 

 tive to the numerous inquiries of my correspon- 

 dents ; the kinds and qualities in a single neigh- 

 borhood are too numerous and their names too 

 local and variable to admit of an intelligent reply. 

 The female of this plant, like most of her sex, 

 is so jealous of her rights and privileges and so 

 tenacious of cultivating a friendly intercourse and 

 connexion with her neighbors, that the blossoms 

 in fields at 200 yards distance, planted of different 

 kinds of seed, are frequently found contributing 

 liberally with each other, by the aid of a gentle 

 breeze, a portion of their generating fanna, which 

 is generously received and kindly nourished ; the 

 product of this connexion strongly partaking of 

 the properties and appearance of both, many of 

 them in apparent equal parts. Plant this mixture a 

 few years in a place of safety and it will be found 

 that the weaker plant will gradually yield to the 

 stronger, until the one most productive and best 

 suited to the climate will be produced in its origi- 

 nal and unadulterated purity. The fact goes far in 

 satisfying me- of the cause of our frequent disap- 

 pointments in not finding seed at all times produ- 

 cing its kind. We have abundant means with a 

 little care and patience of supplying ourselves 

 with every variety of potatoes, the growth of 

 which is adapted to our climate. 



The wise Provider of all good things has kindly 

 furnished us with the means of providing ourselves 

 with innumerable kinds and qualities of this vege- 

 table. The ripe balls or seeds from a single stalk, 

 will produce by three seasons' planting, almost 

 countless varieties of every color, shape, size and 

 quality, which the country has heretofore produ- 

 ced, and something new, in addition. 



The first season's planting they will be small and 

 tender, the second larger, and the third of suitable 

 size for field planting. 



The only answer I can give to the inquiry for 

 the right kind of seed, is to recommend to the 

 farmer that kind to be procured in the vicinity, 

 most productive, except a small quantity if he 

 possesses them, of a superior quality, fortable use. 

 In changing seed, which will occasionally be 

 found beneficial, if removed from any considera- 

 ble distance, should be taken from the north, the 

 growth will be more rapid, consequently, the 

 quality better, and in southern climates the quan- 

 tity greater for the first season, at least. 



TIME FOR GATHERING. 



This ought to be done when the potato is ripe 

 and not before, the idea so generally entertained 

 that an early frost which nips the top and destroys 

 the vine, prevents the further growth ef the pota- 

 to is a mistaken one, and ought to be exploded ; on 

 the contrary, if it has not at this time attained its 

 full size and weight, it grows more rapidly ; the 

 nourishment required for sustaining the top is 

 transferred to the root. From a knowledge of 

 this fact, satisfactorily tested, I am inclined to be- 

 lieve that by clipping the bushy part of the top 

 with a scythe or other instrument, after the ball 

 has attained its fidl size, the crop would be greatly 

 benefitted by the operation. I have made a few 

 experiments of this kind, all tending to confirm 

 my belief, but not suflicient to warrant me in 

 making the broad unqualified assertion of the 

 positive correctness of my opinion. I hope agri- 

 culturists in different sections of the country will 

 lend a helping hand to aid in testing the correct- 

 ness or incorrectness of my doctrine in this par- 

 ticular. The green tops are excellent food for 

 cattle or swine ; if left on the field will produce 

 so injury, but serve to enrich the soil. 



HOUStNO AND WINTERING. 



The erroneous practice pursued by our best far- 

 mers generally, induces me to state the manner I 

 lave pursued for years with unvaried success, 

 fo preserve 5 or 600 bushels, I make a box or bin 

 { feet wide, 3 feet high, and sufficient length to 

 dontain the required quantity, have the joints well 

 hstened and made as tight as possible, put intc 

 tlie cellar on skids, raising it 3 or 4 inches from the 

 cellar bottom ; if the potatoes are intended to b4 

 tnken out at different times, two or three partitions 

 should be put in cross wise of the bin, to prevent 

 such as are not required for immediate use from 

 exposure to the atmosphere. After this prepara- 

 tion is completed, the next operation is gathering 

 and housing them. Here I must again disseni 

 from the usual practice of farmers generally ; in- 

 stead of leaving them in the sun and wind to dry. 

 after digging, in small parcels, in carts or heaps, 

 they should be immediately covered with the tops 

 or something else, even if they remain in the field 

 but a few hours. This destructive practice, 1 

 think must be entirely attributable to want of re- 

 flectian, it is the sole cause which produces the 

 evil 50 much complained of, by us called, the 

 watery potato ; by the Irish, the winded potato 

 destroying not only the flavor, but a great portion 

 of its nutriment. In fact, sun, wind and rain 

 are as destructive to a fresh dug potato, as moon-i 

 light is to a fresh caught fish. When your pota-i 

 toes ire removed to the cellar, put into the bottorc 

 of the bin 2 inches of fresh earth, then fill youi 

 apartment with potatoes, within 3 or 4 inches o! 

 the tap, immediately cover .it with tough grass 

 turf, 5Ut up with the spade a little dove tailing, t< 

 the tlickness of 3 or 4 inches ; cover them wit! 

 the tjrf, grass side up, packed close and poundec 

 dowt with a wooden mall, to exclude as much ai; 

 as possible. In this manner in a cellar of suitabli 

 tcmpjrature, they may be kept fresh and good fo 

 a yeai-, without germinating. No danger is to h> 

 apprehended of having too much dirt stick to thi 

 potrtoes, it assists in preserving them ; an occa 

 siontil sprinkling of fresh earth amongst them 

 willjbe found serviceable. 



POTATOES FOR FOOD. 



Tljeir uses for man or beast are too well undel 



