82 
ORCHARD 
AND 
v ' \'^wsKX7 
GARDEN 
IJv 'wwnaA/wwvv ^A/\A^AA^WV>JWWv^AA/\A A^K^^ 
April, 1889. 
Growing Potatoes. 
The writer has for years been an earnest 
student of the potato. We have read what 
others have had to say and have closely ex- 
amined our own plantations. We grow 
about fifteen acres of potatoes annually, and 
usually succeed in producing fairly good 
crops. We think that there are certain 
points in the culture of the potato that may 
be considered as settled. 
1st. That the largest crops can be obtain- 
ed by the use of large whole potatoes for 
seed, but it is by no means demonstrated 
that the practice can be economically adopt- 
ed on account of the immense portion of 
the crop which would have to be carried 
over for seed, with all the risks attending 
such keeping, or the great expense of pur- 
chasing. 
2nd. The most economical way, taking 
all things into consideration, is to use fair 
sized potatoes cut into about four pieces. 
I have fully demonstrated that the practice 
of cutting to single eyes is a good way to 
save seed and lose a crop. 
3d. The use of barnyard manure certain- 
ly has a close connection with the produc- 
tion of scabby potatoes. While we are not 
yet sure of the nature and cause of scab in 
potatoes, there is no doubt that clean crops 
can lie grown by using chemical fertilizers. 
4th. That the use of highly ammoniated 
fertilizers is not necessary in the growth of 
the crop — a plain acid phosphate and Kainit 
making a cheaper and more efficient fertili- 
zer for the crop. In soils such as the red 
lands of Piedmont, Virginia, which abound 
in silicate of potash, a mixture of acid phos- 
phate and plaster applied at the rate of 600 
pounds per acre, is the best fertilizer for po- 
tatoes. The sulphuric acid in the plaster 
changes the silicate of p jtash in the soil to a 
sulphate and makes it available as plant 
food. When Canada ashes can be delivered 
at $10 to $12 per ton, a half ton peracre will 
make grand potatoes. 
5th. The best land for the potato crop is 
land newly cleared from the forest. Next 
best a clover sod plowed in autumn. A me- 
dium loam in texture is better than a sandy 
soil but the sandy soil is immensely super- 
ior to a compact clay. 
6th. Anywhere south of Baltimore it will 
not pay to use home grown potatoes for 
seed. This fact has been impressed upon 
me by a costly experience. One cause for 
this is that we cannot keep a cellar in this 
latitude cold enough to prevent potatoes 
sprouting a month or two before we can 
plant them. The rubbing off of the sprouts 
gradually weakens the plant, until at plant- 
ing time the shoots start weakly and a poor 
crop inevitably results. We always buy po- 
tatoes grown far North for seed. 
7th. As to varieties, there is no doubt 
that a frequent renewal from seed is neces- 
sary, a variety usually runs its course and de- 
teriorates in twenty years or less. But having 
a variety that suits your soil and climate, 
keep planting it until you are sure you have 
a better. South of the Potomac the round 
sorts like Peerless and some others always 
are more healthy and productive than the 
long sorts. Burbank, which is popular in 
Pennsylvania, is worthless here in Pied- 
mont. Some sorts like Beauty of Hebron 
and White Elephant yield heavy crops, but 
are so subject to rot and black speck that 
we have abandoned their culture. The new 
sorts are legion, and the careful cultivator 
will test a few annually in a small way, but 
trust to old friends for a crop. Here we 
plant Early Ohio for early use, and Peerless 
for winter. We may be old fogyish, but 
we "have not found any potato yet to take 
the place of Peerless. 
8tb. No amount of cultivation can take 
the place of good plowing and thorough 
preparation of the soil before planting, and 
all other things being equal, fall-plowed 
land will always make the best crop. Plow 
deep, plant deep and cultivate flat and 
shallow. 
9th. Do not be surprised if you do not 
make 500 to 800 bushels per acre, as the 
seedsmen talk about when recommending 
new sorts. These immense crops are gen- 
erally made in fields of a half a dozen hills. 
It may be possible to get these big yields 
over a whole acre or more, but in most lo- 
calities it will be found more economical to 
use three acres to get the 600 bushels than 
to spend enough to get them from one acre. 
10th. When a season of abundant yields 
and low prices, such as last season, comes, 
always plant more potatoes than ever the 
next season, for thousands of growers will 
let such a season discourage them, and a 
reduced acreage the next year will bring 
profit to those who plant. 
In growing vegetables of any sort for ship- 
ping to market, it is always a good rule to 
plant largely of those with which the market 
was over stocked the last season, and less 
largely of those which then ruled highest 
in price. 
Egg Plants. 
I have never believed much in starting 
Egg Plants very early. You cannot “hard- 
en off” an Egg Plant as you would a toma- 
to and any attempt to do it will only result 
in stunted or defunct plants. Even here in 
Virginia the last of March is plenty early 
enough to sow the seed in the greenhouse 
boxes, for they must be grown ( n without 
any check, in a high temperature. We 
always grow Egg Plants in pots as being 
more convenient and they can be transplant- 
ed without check. Sow the seeds in shal- 
low boxes in a warm greenhouse, if possible 
with a good bottom heat. As soon as large 
enough to handle pot, into 2-inch pots and 
then shift them on just as any other stove or 
hot-house plant By r the time the weather 
is suitable for them to go into the open 
ground (which is seldom earlier than June) 
you will have fine, stout plants in four inch 
pots ready to go at once to work in t he warm 
soil, and which will beat the little stunted 
plants started too early or turned into frames 
before cold nights were over. Egg Plants 
treated in this way last June gave me good 
fruit early in July. 
Manuring Vegelable*. 
We have never been a strong believer in 
the deep burying of manure for any crop. 
As a rule the nearer manure in its rough 
state is kept to the surface the better, in our 
hot climate. But there are exceptions to all 
rules of course. Manure for early vegetables 
is better spread coarse and fresh and well 
turned under and mixed with the soil, thus 
aiding in drying and warming it for the 
early crops. Manure on the surface in the 
early spring delays the drying and warm- 
ing process and insomuch delays the crop. 
But our cold and wet springs are followed 
by hot and dry summers. Therefore for 
summer and autumn crops keep the manure 
on top as much as possible to act as a mulch 
to retain moisture in the soil and to grad- 
ually feed down with the summer showers. 
For crops of Spinach, Kale, etc., sown in 
late summer for wintering over my practice 
is to scatter strawy manure loosely over the 
whole surface after the crop is sown, large- 
ly as a mulch and winter protection, the 
crop depending mainly or the manure left 
by the early crop. 
White Velvet Okra. 
The White Velvet Okra is one of the new 
vegetables that will be likely to supersede 
the old sorts with those who are fond of 
“Gumbo” and with the market growers too. 
We grew it last summer and found it dwarf 
and compact in habit and very productive 
of pods. But its chief recommendation to 
those who have to handle them is the fact 
that they do not have the annoying nettle- 
like hairs upon the pods which makes the 
ordinary Okra so disagreeable to gather. As 
to its quality I have heard no complaint, but 
as I do not care for it and have eaten none 
my self I can only say that I have no doubt 
it is as good as the old sorts. — W.F. Massey. 
The Montreal Market Munk Melon. 
I have just read in the February issue of 
the Orchard & Garden a very valuable 
article by Mr. W. F. Massey, entitled “ Some 
Advice About Vegetables.” Mr. Massey’s 
advice is so very good and he is so undoubted 
an authority, that I cannot but call your at- 
tention to one statement in that article in 
which my experience differs entirely from 
his. He says, “ Don’t waste time and money 
in planting such melons as the Montreal 
Market Musk Melon, unless you are growing 
them for a market which takes big melons 
without regard to flavor. These big musk 
melons are not fit for family use.” 
Last year in our own garden we grew al- 
most all the old and new varieties of musk 
melons, including the Emerald Gem, which 
