362 
THE POTATO ROT.—-A CHAPTER ON APPLES. 
THE POTATO ROT. 
We are asked to insert some articles on the pre- j 
sent alarming disease of the potato. We respectfully 
decline doing any more than we have in the present 
and past volumes, till something more positive is 
known about the disease, be it murrain, cholera, or 
simple rot. The agricultural journals of the day, 
especially in Europe, are teeming with articles on this 
subject; "we have read them nearly all, and have not 
got a single new idea, more than is already published 
in this periodical, at pages 350 and 354 of the last, 
and page 110 of the present volume. We are deter¬ 
mined not to bore our readers with long prosy arti¬ 
cles which teach them nothing new. The whole 
thing may be summed up in a few words, and these 
are—that the disease is probably a fungus. The best 
remedies are salt, lime, and charcoal. We recom¬ 
mend procuring new seedlings, and be very careful 
not to let them get mixed with old ones. Plant next 
spring on sod ground, without other manures than 
plaster, salt, lime, charcoal, or ashes. A good sod, with 
the addition of the other materials, will be sufficiently 
rich to raise a large crop ; and depend upon it, if the 
seed be of a good variety, and it escape the rot, the 
crop will be sweet, mealy, and highly nutritious—the 
best for animals as w r ell as man. Our readers will do 
us a great favor by giving us facts on this interesting 
5ubj‘ct, free from speculation. 
A CHAPTER ON APPLES. 
The great advantage of fruit raising to the farmer, 
has been often commended through our columns. It 
is not our intention to enlarge upon its general merits 
at present, but to confine what we have to say to the 
subject of apples alone. 
The apple is, beyond all question, the king of 
fruits; as wheat and the potato are of grain and 
roots. In some one or more of its varieties, it keeps 
throughout the three hundred and sixty-five days of 
the year; and long after the earliest genitings and 
sweet-bough with their glossy sides and fragrant odor, 
are offerecf in the market, the piles of smooth green¬ 
ings and pjppins, and rough golden-coated russets, 
with all the firmness and substantial merits of vete¬ 
rans of ’76, are tempting the eye and olfactories of 
every passer, by their plump and but just matured 
perfections. It is to this quality of enduringness, 
which is, with some exceptions, common to all sea¬ 
sons and all climes, that much of the merits of the 
apple are due. But much more it may justly claim, 
in its luscious flavor, and healthful influences; and its 
peculiar adaptation to so large and varied uses. Be¬ 
sides the thousand-and-one varieties of dishes of 
which it forms the sole, or principal, or a subordinate 
part, in the economy of the skilful housewife, it con¬ 
tributes greatly towards the interest of the farmer by 
the profits from its sale, and its use as food for his 
stock. 
The profit from feeding the surplus of an extensive 
orchard of fine fruit to stock (for fine fruit is as much 
better for animals as it is for their owners), has be¬ 
come an item of careful estimate, since the nearly 
general abandonment of the wasteful sottish system 
of cider-making. It was the rule, we believe, that 8 
to 12 bushels of apples would make one barrel of 
cider; and 8 to 12 barrels of cider, one barrel of cider 
brandy. The former was made to the halves, while, 
.perhaps, 2 gallons of the latter might be returned as a 
full equivalent for a barrel of the former. Two 
[gallons of miserable liquid poison, within less than a 
generation since, was the product of 8 to 12 bushels 
of apples! Let us see how the case stands by the 
touchstone of figures—Eight bushels of good apples 
(and it is cheaper raising good apples than poor), are 
worth in an average of seasons, 37$ cents per bushel, 
in the orchard, $3 for the whole; while the 2 gallons 
of brandy would be worth about the price of whiskey, 
say 50 cents—difference in favor of selling the apples, 
or using them for some appropriate purpose, six to one. 
Verily the present age has improved some in pocket, 
as well as morals. 
The value of apples, however, for feeding to 
slock is not equal to that for selling, whenever a good 
market is within reach. The early droppings from 
the trees should be invariably fed to stock; as be¬ 
sides their general worthlessness for other purposes, 
from their immaturity, they frequently contain worms, 
which their consumption by stock effectually de¬ 
stroys. The most economical way of providing for 
this, is to allow swine to run at large in sufficient 
numbers to consume all the first droppings. These, 
with the offal of the dairy, and a good clover pasture, 
with a trifle of meal, thoroughly soured with the 
whey or slops, will put a good breed of hogs into fine 
condition, if kept out of the road , by the time peas, po¬ 
tatoes, and corn, are sufficiently matured to begin their 
fall feeding. If there should be any surplus of 
apples, beyond what may be more profitably disposed 
of, these may be fed to the fattening porkers, either 
raw or cooked, with certain advantage. The exact 
equivalent in grain or roots for pork or beef making, 
has not been ascertained with sufficient accuracy to 
be here stated, but that they stand high in fattening 
properties is beyond a doubt; while the quality of 
meat they produce is of the highest flavor. 
Sheep may be substituted for swine in ranging 
through the orchard and picking up the diseased and 
immatured fruit. They will not hurt store sheep 
either in flesh or fleece, but they are more particularly 
profitable for such as are intended for mutton. A 
run in the orchard is an excellent preparation for 
heavier feed at a later period in the season, and richer 
or more highly flavored mutton cannot be produced 
than is afforded from such as have this food continued 
to them, till ready for the shambles. 
Milch Cows thrive on them exceedingly, though 
they should never be allowed to run among the trees, 
from their injuring the limbs, and their tendency to 
choking in taking them from an elevated position. 
The milk from cows so fed is noted for its richness 
and delicious flavor. For working cattle and such 
as are intended for beef, they are nearly as valuable. 
Horses are also exceedingly fond of apples, and 
few kinds of stock are more benefited by their use. 
They are a full substitute for grain, with hay, when 
not too hardly used, and it has been found from long 
experience and careful observation, that their health is 
better when so fed ; their coat is smoother and more 
glossy ; and that they are equally spirited. 
The quality of apples has much to do with their 
value ; though probably not more than that of roots 
and grain. Such kinds should be selected for feed¬ 
ing, if that be the object, which are, as a general rule, 
the most profitable for sale; as they will be found to 
combine the best flavor with the most substance. 
Sour apples have been proved from careful experi- 
