98 



THE ILLINOIS FARMEK. 



April 



The Potatoe Crop. 



Notwitlistanding all the drawbacks to this 

 crop, it continues to be one of great impor- 

 tance ; not only to the producer, but to the 

 consumer. Whether the price goes down to 

 ten cents or up to two dollars, it is the com- 

 mon food of both rich and poor, and one 

 that they have no desire to part with. 



When a boy, a crop on new land was 

 often four hundred bushels; seldom less 

 than two hundred. An acre was a large 

 plantation — sufficient to supply the family, 

 fatten a cow, go far towards making the 

 supply of pork and paying the village black- 

 smith. Since then it has become an impor- 

 tant crop for shipment to the great cities ; 

 that like Jonah's gourd, have grown up 

 since our boyhood. But as it has grown in 

 demand and in favor, the rot has made its 

 appearance and at times threatenad its utter 

 extinction. The yield has gone down to an 

 average of about seventy-five bushels per 

 acre. Last season was unfavorable for this 

 crop. The heavy rains of September appear- 

 ing to have a bad influence on the crop, 

 which is reported over a large area of country 

 to be nearly ruined. In this county, the 

 yield was fair and of good quality, but the 

 breadth planted was less than usual. Along 

 the Ohio river, above Cairo, the crop was 

 good, much larger than usual ; so of all the 

 timber counties in the south part of the 

 state. This is fortunate, for it is difficult to 

 get good potatoes at the north. While the 

 crop is worth 40 or 60 cents a bushel in 

 Chicago, at Cairo they are plenty at twenty- 

 five and thirty cents, just the reverse of the 

 usual price, as thousands of bushels have, 

 until this season, bee i brought south on the 

 Illinois Central Kail Road. 



SELECTION OF SOIL. 



The best soil on the prairie for potatoes, is 

 after one or two other crops on the sod; often 

 the second crop is best, the sod is nearly 

 rotten, and yet full of vegetable fibre which 

 suits the potatoe. It is then.also rich which 

 is of value, at the same time barn-yard ma- 



nure is not good for the crop, as it induces 

 the rot. It is, therefore, better to select 

 rich land, or that which has not been ex- 

 hausted by other crops. 



We like sod land after a crop of wheat, 

 barley or rye ; these leave the soil open to 

 the air, and the potatoe will flourish in it. 



VARIETIES. 



The Neshannock continues to hold a high 

 position for an early market variety, as well 

 as for winter use, and it is doubtful if we 

 really have a better one. There are several 

 sorts a few days ahead of it, but these are 

 seldom planted largely. We may safely say 

 that it is the leading early variety. Among 

 later sorts, English Fluke is valuable and 

 highly productive, its form is of the best 

 for cooking long and smooth. Garnet Chili 

 is the most productive of any we planted 

 last season. The potatoe itself is second or 

 third rate, but its productiveness will make 

 it popular. Nearly our entire stock of early 

 potatoes were destroyed last season by the 

 hail storn that swept over our farm on the 

 19tb of June, just at the right time to de- 

 stroy them most effectually. For the past 

 fifteen years we have grown potatoes for 

 market, and have generally had good crops. 

 Last year, notwithstanding the storm, the 

 crop averaged nearly one hundred bushels 

 to the acre, and harvested as follows : 



Carters 180 busholf. 



Peach Blows 20 " 



Prince Albeit 15 " 



Garnet Chili 15 ^ 



Mexican 20 '• 



English Fluke 40 



Mathews Early Blue 15 " 



Meshannock 450 " 



Total harvested on eight acres 155 



These we planted as directed in the last 

 Vol., that is, plowed in shallows. We have 

 several other sorts on trial in the same way. 



As we send our potatoes south for seed, 

 we find the Neshannock the most saleable 

 for that purpose. The eyes are so deep in 

 the Carters, that, notwithstanding their other 

 good qualities, they will not become popular. 



