VOL. XXXV. No. 13. 
WHOLE No. 1118. 
NEW YORK CITY, MARCH 31, 1877. 
I PRICE SIX CENTS 
l *2.50 PER YEAR. 
[Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1877, by the Kural Publishing Company, in the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington.] 
Jfidh Crop, 
HYBRIDIZING POTATOES. 
Some time last summer I saw an article in the 
Rural New-Yorker about hybridizing potatoes, 
in which you stated that true hybrids could not be 
produced between two varieties of the samo spe¬ 
cies. Now. as all of our common potatoes orig¬ 
inated from one species, how should we proceed 
to obtain hybrids ?—J. B. S., Oakland, Cal, 
Among scientists, there is a difference of opin¬ 
ion in regard to the application of this word hy¬ 
brid. Some claim that it may be with propriety 
bestowed on the offspring of two varieties; but 
we have adhered to the old definition of the 
term, applying it only to the offspring of two 
species. When two varieties have been inter¬ 
mixed the result Is a cross, and this is the gene¬ 
ral acceptation of the terms among breeders of 
animals as well as the producers of luov plants by 
cross-fertilization. But it is not Impossible to 
produce a hybrid potato; for, thanks to our bo¬ 
tanical explorers, at least two species of Solatium 
closely allied to our enmmOli potato, N. tuberos¬ 
um, have been discovered. 
Some forty odd years ago, a gentleman of this 
city received a few tnhers of a wild species of 
potato from San Lorenzo, South America, under 
the name of Mountain Potato, (Solatium Monta- 
««)«,) which were distributed among his friends 
here and abroad. The plants of this species were 
not very vigorous, and the tubers were small and 
of a globular form. The accompanying illustra¬ 
tion gives a good idea both of the size and form 
of the tuber, also of the leaf and flowers. 
This species, if obtainable, might be employed 
in producing time hybrid potatoes ; and should 
this not bo the case, another species has been 
recently discovered in Mexico and named by Dr. 
Gay Solanum Fendleri, or Peiidlcr’s Potato, The 
latter apecicB is now being cultivated by several 
potato growers, and we understand that there 
are fair prospects that hybrids between this and 
our common kind will soon be brought out. 
From the above, it will he seen that what we 
claim to be true hybrids are likely to be a myth no 
more than grape hybrids which a few years since 
were unknown; but now, thanks to such men as 
Rogers, Wylie, Campbell and Ricketts, they 
have become quite common, 
-»♦«- 
EARLY POTATOES. 
It is my belief that if all the little experiences, 
experimental successes and individual secrets 
pertaining to agriculture, were properly given to 
the world as soon as discovered, the rural popu¬ 
lation of the country would be vastly benefited 
by this mutual exchange, the task of the chief 
editors made more delightful, and the reading of 
their journals by the farmer a thousand times 
more interesting and instructive. The remotest 
inhabitant and the humblest bom can, aud should 
communicate everything that is new and promis¬ 
ing to his favorite paper, and then and there 
promptly receive due credit and encouragement 
from the proprietor. 
My constant endeavor is to practice good 
preaching: and I will state how I obtain new 
potatoes eight days in advance of my neighbors. 
In this climate early potatoes ripen in the mid¬ 
dle of summer, and usually commence a second 
growth in the hill before digging time. As soon 
as I have ascertained this, I dig them, and select 
one-half bushel medium size tubers which have 
the longest sprouts. This selection is spread 
singly and closely, with their sprouts in their 
natural position on an earth-bottom cellar, and 
the interstices filled with sandy loam. If light 
and fresh air are liberally admitted into the cel¬ 
lar and the temperature kept about right—not 
too warm—the potatoes at early planting time 
will have very stocky sprouts, from three to six 
inches in length. One-half the amount thus 
cared for, which have the greatest growth, are 
cut in halves and planted, one piece in a hill, 
with sprouts nearly upt ight and entirely covered, 
being very careful not to injure the tender shoots 
in the slightest degree. This half of my selec¬ 
tion is allowed to mature undisturbed, from 
which 1 make a similar selection the autumn 
following. The other half are planted separate¬ 
ly, and dug and eaten when of suitable size. 
Of course, I could obtain eatable potatoes two 
or three days earlier from that half of my selec¬ 
tion which had exhibited the moat vigorous 
growth in the cellar, but it would seriously inter¬ 
fere with my early seed for the ensuing year. 
Having closely followed the above method for 
the last four years, T find I have improved on the 
earlincss of the Early Rose to such au oxteut 
that I am enjoying the luxury of new potatoes 
while my neighbors are eating shriveled speci¬ 
mens raised the year previous. 
Alpowa, Wash. Territory. N. A. Wheeler. 
--- 
ARTICHOKE CULTURE, 
A correspondent of the Rural World, writing 
from St. Clair Co., Ill., speaks a good word for 
the artichoke, and in a way which must convince 
all, except thoBe who are prejudiced against it, 
that it is a very valuable plant. He says : 
I am glad to see attention called to this veg¬ 
etable, for I think it eminently worthy of more 
attention. I have been cultivating it for several 
years and consider it iny most profitable crop 
for the amount of land it occupies. It is very 
productive, and needs but little attention after 
planting—not as much as corn. In wintor I let 
the hogs dig the tubers themsel ves, and they do 
it with a relish. 
But I want, to give a word of warning to my 
brother fanners in regard to it. Solect a field 
that you do not intend to use for any other pur¬ 
pose, for, when once planted, it is difficult to get 
it out of the land. It will reproduce piantH from 
seed left in the ground. By turning it out to 
pasture, of course the plants would soon die out. 
But it is best to fence off a portion of pasture, 
plow it up, aud plant it in artichoke*, and every 
Tall let tho hogB into the artichoke lot to feast 
upon the tubers to suit themselves. Late in 
spring, plow and harrow the lot, and kooy the 
hogs out till fall, aud there will be a crop of arti¬ 
chokes again to feed the hogs the following win¬ 
ter. If before frost the stalks are cut, cured 
SOL.ANUM MONTANUM. 
and stacked up, they will furnish excellent forage 
for horses, cattle and sheep. They can be dug 
like potatoes and fed to hogs cooked, which is an 
improvement. Where so few roots are raised 
for hogs, as in Southern Illinois, I think every 
man who produces pork will find it to his interest 
to plant a few bushels of artichokes this spring. 
Plant in rows three feet apart, and fifteen inches 
apart in the row, and run a cultivator between 
tho rows a few times in spring to destroy the 
weeds, and the work is done, 
• - ■ •» ♦ » 
ONE MORE ON THE ARTICHOKE. 
When wo first called our readers' attention to 
tho old Jerusalem artichoke as a plant likely to 
be Of groat value to the fanner in regions where 
both forugo aud root-crops were noue too ubun- 
daut, several of our rural contemporaries under¬ 
took to show that it was a worthless as well as a 
pestiferous plant, which no good farmer would 
wish to admit into bis grounds. The recom¬ 
mendation which we gave the plant under con¬ 
sideration has, however, been fully sustained by 
hundreds of farmers who have given it a fair 
trial; aud the following from A. G. Williams, 
Benton Co., Iowa, to the National Live Stock 
Journal, is an excellent epitome of the method 
of culture, aud also substantiates our previous 
remarks as to its value. We see no good reason, 
however, for using the name “ Brazilian ” in 
place of Jerusalem artichoke. 
Prepare tho ground by plowing eight to ten 
inches deep. If a rich manure lot, or old stock- 
yard where hogs and cattle have been running in 
common, could ho used in which to plant, the 
yield will be astonishing. Mark off the ground 
one way the same as for potatoes, tliroe feet 
apart; plant in drllla ton to fifteen inches apart. 
The ground should uot be left “ lumpy" or 
“cloddy,” but well rolled. 
Cut the tubers when planted in the spring the 
same as for potatoes. Tho time to plant in tho 
spring is auy time after tho frost is out of tho 
ground, until tho 10th of June. They will look, 
sometimes, whou exposed to the air, as if all sub¬ 
stance was out of them ; but place them in a wet 
place, or in water for a few hours, aud they will 
“ plump ” up and look as if they had just been 
taken fresh from the earth. 
When planted in the fall, the tubers or roots 
must not be cut as they are for Bpring planting. 
From October 15th to November 15th is the time 
to plant. Roll the ground well after fall plant¬ 
ing. The artichoke should not bo planted over 
four inches deep. The tubers grow down or 
below the seed planted, while tho potato grows 
above. No cultivation la necessary unless the 
person planting wishes to destroy any grass or 
weed* that happen to be in possession of the 
soil. Then, whon tho tops aru from three to 
four inches high, run through with a cultivator 
thoroughly ono time. J f the season is good, 
that is, if there is plenty of rain iu July and Au¬ 
gust, the tubers will be large enough to turn 
hogs on in September ; but if there has been a 
dry summer, turn on for feeding in October, the 
same year of planting (in tho spring). Allow 
hogs to have free access to them until the ground 
is frozen, and again on the same field in the 
spring, from tho time the frost is out of the 
ground until tho first of June, and even as late 
as the 15th of .Tune in this climate. 
When tho hogs have been taken off the field, 
preparatory to allowing another crop to glow, 
the ground should be made smooth by harrow¬ 
ing, so that tho tops can bo cut with a mower in 
the fall if desired. Cattle, horses andtamlea are 
exceedingly fond of the fodder made from tho 
tops, which are cut with a mower, allowed to 
dry for a few days aud then put in long ricks for 
use. I have pastured my milch cows on the 
green tops a short time before turning my hogs 
on, and my experience is, the flow of milk is 
