Six aualyses of the tops give the following 
average results: Potash, 21.78; soda, 2.31; 
litne. 32.65; magnesia. 16.51; ferric oxide, 2.86; 
phosphoric acid, 7.89; sulphuric acid, 6.32; 
silica, 4.32; chlorine, 5.78. Potash and phos¬ 
phoric acid are therefore the predominating 
ingredients of the ash of the tuber, and soda 
and silica are evidently quite unessential since 
they may be entirely absent; soda may also be 
entirely wanting in the tops. 
* * * 
From these figures it may lie estimated that 
in a crop of 150 bushels weighing 9,000 pounds, 
and 600 pounds of tops, we should remove, of 
the three most valuable ingredients of plant- 
food, the quantities per acre given in the fol¬ 
lowing table, omitting fractious. For the 
purpose of comparison, we give also the 
quantities oi these three substances gathered 
by a crop of wheat, 25 bushels, and straw, 
2,500 pounds; and of Indian corn, SO bushels, 
stover 4,500 pounds, and cobs 600 pounds. 
Phos. Acid. Potash. 
NEW POTATOES IN NEBRASKA. 
Potatoes: tubers.... 
26 
15 
53 
tops. 
— 
4 
11 
Total. 
26 
19 
64 
Wheat: grain. 
30 
13 
8 
straw. 
12 
6 
17 
Total. 
42 
19 
25 
Indian corn: grain.. 
48 
20 
12 
Stover. 
22 
23 
41 
cobs .. 
2 
— 
4 
Total... 
72 
43 
57 
* * * 
From these figures it appears that to produce 
the potato crop, potash is required in larger 
proportion than either nitrogen or phosphoric 
acid, and that more is required for this crop 
than for either wheat or corn, notwithstand¬ 
ing that the latter is such a gross feeder. 
When we come to consider the comparative 
exhaustion of the soil by tbe two crops, re¬ 
membering that of the coni crop, only the grain 
with 12 pounds of potash, is liable to leave the 
farm, while of the potato crop the tubers, with 
53 pounds of potash from every acre, are usu¬ 
ally exported, the usefulness of potash manures 
in potato culture would appear to be very 
plainly indicated. To the quantity of nitrogen 
gathered by the potato crop, as given in the 
table, something must be added for the tops, 
with reference to which we find no determina¬ 
tions of this element. Making due allowance 
for this, the best manure for the potato would 
seem to be a complete one as we have said: 
that is, one containing all three of these sub¬ 
stances—nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash, 
with a large proportion of the last. Make a 
note of this Rural readers. 
* * * 
Add potash salts to farm manures if you 
would increase the yield, 
* * * 
Sulphate of potash has given, in many 
cases, larger crops thau muriate of potash. 
$ aft $ 
Salt ou potatoes, according to Prof. G. C, 
Caldwell, may increase the crop somewhat, 
but it impairs the quality by diminishing the 
quantity of starch. 
^ •f 1 •{■ 
Whether potatoes deteriorate or grow less 
in yield depends upon the congeniality of the 
soil, situation aud culture, 
* * * 
It depends also upon the selection of “seed.” 
We are fully satisfied that the yield may be 
maintained, if not increased, by selecting seed 
potatoes from the most prolific hills. 
* * * 
Dr. Hoskins prefers potatoes to either beets 
or turnips for stock-feeding. 
* * * 
The best potato soil is a sandy loam or one 
that is midway between a light and a heavy 
soil. There is no better way of preserving 
moisture than by keeping the surface soil 
mellow. * * * 
Lime has often been recommended as a pre¬ 
ventive of potato rot. The N. Y. Exjteriment 
Station does not find it so. The Director filled 
two barrels with sound White Star po- 
tatoes, in the Fall of 1883, in one of which he 
sprinkled air-slaked lime, as the tubers were 
put in, in sufficient quantity to whiten them. 
On April 3d the ]>otatoes in both barrels were 
examined. The one treated with tbe lime con¬ 
tained 68 decayed tubers, while the other con¬ 
tained but 52, It thus appeal's that in this ex¬ 
periment the lime exerted no beneficial in¬ 
fluence. 
DR. LA WES’ POTATO EXPERIMENTS. 
The following table shows the average yield 
of potatoes for five years at Rothamsted, Eng¬ 
land, with farm manure, with different chem¬ 
ical fertilizers and without either fertilizers or 
manure: 
h. h. wing. 
We have bad occasion to test some of the new varieties of potatoes the past season, and below 
are given the results. The potatoes were planted in the peculiar fine loam soil of this region and 
received no manure of any kiud. The rows were three and a half feet apart, and the single 
eyes were dropped one foot apart in the rows. 
variety. 
EARLY VARIETIES, 
Queen of the Roses. 
Early Howard. 
Hairs Early Uenchblow.. 
Early Maine... 
Lee’s Favorite. 
Vanguard . 
Pearl of Savoy. . 
Vick’s Extra Early. 
LATE VARIETIES. 
Cloud’s White Chief. 
Chief. 
State of Maine. 
Empire State. 
Dakota Red. 
Home Comfort. 
Columnis Superb . 
Peerless Peaehblow. 
Seneca Red Jacket. 
Cavuga . 
Iroquois. 
Tremont. 
Raukin compar¬ 
ison with 81 var¬ 
ieties grown side 
by side. 
Yield of 
merchantable 
potatoes per acre. 
Bushels. 
12 
266.7 
13 
261.2 
17 
246.4 
20 
2:54.6 
26 
218.6 
7 
216.4 
9 
211.8 
77 
72.6 
1 
401. 
2 
866.1 
297.8 
297.3 
14 
259.2 
18 
246.8 
22 
251. 
28 
212.4 
32 
195.8 
40 
164.7 
56 
126.1 
67 
79. 
Per cent, 
unmerchantable. 
Total yield per 
acre. 
Bushels. 
11.5 
5.6 
17.4 
10.4 
15.7 
17.2 
14. 
51.7 
16.5 
11.7 
19.4 
84.4 
24.1 
17.4 
22.2 
17.8 
20.9 
28. 
29.7 
87. 
801.2 
276.8 
295.2 
292. 
259.3 
261.6 
246.3 
150.4 
480.6 
414.9 
889.6 
452.8 
311.6 
298.2 
296.9 
236.8 
317.7 
388.7 
179.3 
158.9 
We have made the following notes in regard 
to the shape, size and freedom from scabbiness 
of the various varieties. While we have had 
very little rot nearly all of the varieties have 
been more or less affected with scab. 
Queen of the Roses, slightly blushed, long, 
rather knobby, eyes shallow, very little scab. 
Early Howard, white, long oval, regular, 
eyes shallow, very little scab. 
Hall's Early Peaehblow., white, splashed 
with pink, round oval, somewhat knobby, 
eyes rather deep, quite scabby. 
Early Maine, slightly blushed, long oval, 
very regular, slightly scabby. 
Lee's Favorite, white, oval, regular, eyes 
rather deep, some scabby. 
Vanguard, slightly blushed, long oval, very 
regular, rather dee]) eyes, quite scabby. 
Pearl of Savoy, slightly blushed, round oval, 
mostly regular, slightly scabby. 
Vicks Extra Early, white, round oval, 
small regular, eyes shallow, slightly scabby. 
Cloud's White Chief, white, round oval, 
large, somewhat knobby, eyes shallow, consid¬ 
erable scab. 
Chief, white, long, nearly regular, eyes 
rather deep, quite scabby. 
State of Maine, white, long oval, large, some¬ 
what knobby, 63 r es shallow, somewhat scabby. 
Empire State, white, Jong oval, somewhat 
knobby, eves rather deep, somewhat scabby. 
Dakoto Red , red, Ions oval, very knobby, 
eyes rather deep, somewhat scabby. 
House Comfort, pinkish, long, nearly regu¬ 
lar, eyes shallow, .scabby. 
Columnis Superb, white, long, somewhat 
knobby, eyas rather deep, very little scab. 
Peerless Peaehblow, red, ova], very knobby, 
skin rough, eyes shallow, no scab. 
Seneca Red Jacket, white, long oval, nearly 
regular, 63 r es shallow, some scabby. 
Cayuga , white, long oval, nearly regular, 
eyes shallow, no scab. 
Iraq no is. white, oval, regular, eyes shallow, 
very little scab. 
Tremont, white, round oval, regular, medi¬ 
um size, e 3 r es shallow, very little scab. 
Ind. Co.. Univ’ty, Neb. 
POTATO CULTURE IN GEORGIA. 
W. B. JONES. 
The potato does not find tilt? extended, pro¬ 
longed use here, that it does in more northern 
latitudes. [In 1884,9,175 acres in Georgia were 
planted to potatoes, producing 614,725 bushels 
valued at 1639,314 .—Eds.] 
For early market and quick maturity we 
plant Philip aud Early Rose in February or 
early March. Later varieties,as Peaehblow or 
Goodrich are plauted later aud saved longer 
for domestic purposes. Otu- soil is light with 
little clay at surface aud needs to be filled with 
humus, serving both as a mule-hand a manure. 
Stubble deeply [flowed does well, with ashes or 
potash compost. 
In February the soil is well broken, and laid 
off in furrows three feet apart, and bedded out 
into three-feet beds. The potatoes are held in 
ashes for a few days after being cut, and then 
dropped in single pieces, one foot apart. The 
Average of 5 Seasons, 1876, ’77, ’78, ’79 and 1880. 
7 
6 
9 
10 
Tons, cwts Tons, cwts Tons, ewts 
Unmanured..... 
Farmyard Manure (14 tons). 
Farmyard Manure ill tons), and 8%cwts. Superphosphate(1).. 
Farmyard Manure (11 tons). 3'< ; ewts. Superphosphate, and 550 
lbs. Nitrate of Soda... 
400 lbs. Ammonia-suits (2).. 
550 lbs. Nitrate of Sodn —. 
400 lbs. Ammonia salts, S% ewts. SuporphoS., 800 lbs. Sulph. 
Potash, 100 lbs. .Sulph. Soda, 100 lbs. Sulph. Man. 
550 lbs. Nitrate of Soda, 83S ewts. Superphos., 300 lbs. Sulph. 
Potass, 100 lbs. Sulph. Nniln- Iff.) lbs. .Sulph. Mag. 
3% cwts. Superphosphate. 
3 % cwts. Superphosphate, 800 lbs. Sulphate Potash, 100 lbs. 
Sulphate Magnesia, 100 lbs. Sulph 
, Sulphate Soda, 100 lbs. 
19% 
8 
19% 
11% 
m 
19 % 
7 
7% 
2h 
8*1 
19 % 
3% 
5 H 
0 8%, 0 14% 
7% 
8 
19% 
4% 
8 4% , 0 6% I 0 4% 
Tons 
2 
eyes are placed upwards, and small potatoes 
planted whole. A compost of humus, kainit 
or ashes aud acid phosphate, or of rotted cot¬ 
ton-seed aud deea 3 'cd matter is sprinkled liber¬ 
ally over the “seed’ so as to nearly fill the fur¬ 
row. The soil is turned back from either side 
by double-shovel, hoe or turning plow. Be¬ 
fore tbe plants appear, a harrow is run over 
the field to loosen the soil and remove excess of 
dirt thrown over the potato to protect it dur¬ 
ing coldest weather. The after cultivation is 
with the ordiuary horse hoe or cultivator ran- 
ning between the rows or beds, gradually rais¬ 
ing beds to the plants. If the seed-pieces are 
planted deep, level culture succeeds as well as 
tied system, but. here we must plant early and 
deep for the warm suns of May and June would 
soon destroy the vines. This brings a summer 
crop aud, if not marketed,difficult to keep,and 
even to ship any distance in crates or barrels, 
as heat and moisture soon destroy the tubers. 
In gathering, we plow them out with a turn¬ 
ing plow aud pick by hand. Reed saved from 
this crop must bo kept in dry sand, under a 
house, in a cool place. 
The second crop may be planted in August, 
and soil leveled after dropping in deep furrow, 
mulch with a thick coating of straw or leaves. 
This crop is a precarious one, but keeps well 
during Winter and furnishes seed, dug in Nov¬ 
ember, for next planting. Any distance from 
market, the potato is not profitable to handle, 
unless the earliest June and Jul 3 ’ crops are 
taken. We cau grow them easily, and seern- 
ingly sound and healthy, but the keeping is 
difficult. The seed degenerates with us, and 
most growers buy their seed, each year, of 
Northern producers. The potato would be u 
boon aud a profitable crop but for the sum¬ 
mer heat and moisture which frequently de¬ 
stroy the tubers even in cool places. 
POTATOES IN TEXAS. 
T. V. MUNSON. 
1. Best Varieties for this Sect ion. 
Ans. —Early Ohio, all things considered, 
though Early Rose is much plauted. 
2. How amt when selected, and how treated 
for seed. 
Ans. —For early crop grown chiefly for 
shipping to Northern market in May and June, 
as “new potatoes,” seed from the North (Kan¬ 
sas, Nebraska, Iowa or Minnesota) proves best, 
if pure and well grown and medium to large 
in size. Cut lengthwise into four pieces each, 
early in February, placed in shallow boxes, 
dusted with lime or ashes, kept in a warm 
cellar till March, or when the eyes have start¬ 
ed, half an inch. 
3. 4, 5. Soil, location, preparation, plant¬ 
ing, etc. 
Ans. —A well-drained, sandy loam, having 
an eastern or southern slope, heavily manured 
with well-rotted, fine, stable manure and 
ashes; 25 tons or more of manure aud one of 
ashes to the acre, well plowed in, and fined 
with an Acme harrow; then laid off with light 
furrows, three feet apart, runniug north uud 
south. Then commercial fertilizers, rich in 
soda, potash and phosphorus, sown lightly 
along the furrow, aud the cut potatoes (pre¬ 
pared as stated above) dropped in the furrow 
one foot apart. Then a light furrow is turned 
back upon the pieces of potato to tbe depth of 
three or four inehes, and then half an inch of 
fine, well-rotted manure should bo scattered 
over the row in a strip 18 inches wide, in order 
to keej) the surface soft and loose at all times, 
as the tuber is an under-ground stem, and the 
least binding nature of the soil cramps the 
growth, on the same principle that onions 
make small or large bulbs, according to the 
softness of the surface soil. 
6 . Culture, etc. 
• As soon after planting as the first rain, when 
settled enough for the soil to crumble, or in 
absence of rain, when the potato sprouts are 
j within an inch of surface on an average, draw a 
I steel tooth rake over; for the field culture,a light, 
| fine tooth harrow, lengthwise over the rows, so 
as to loosen the crust, mix the surface manure 
with surface soil, and destroy the young 
weeds. This leaves the ground level, and it 
should be kept so, by using thereafter a Planet 
Horse Cultivator or other such implement 
which will stir the soil evenly.and leave it level. 
The row itself should be kept clean and loose, 
but never hilled, as the nearer the tubers are 
kept to the surface, but still covered, the finer 
the growth and richer the quality of tuber. 
Very deep culture after the plants are up, 
should lie avoided, ns the deep-feeding roots of 
, the vines will he broken and growth stopped 
for a time. A crust should never be allowed 
to form after hard, beating rains. That is the 
chief object of the surface belt of manure last 
put on. If the potato is hilled much, growth 
of the first-formed tubers stops, and new ones 
are thrown out higher up the stem, near the 
surface where there is less pressure, and more 
an - and warmth. After the soil begins to rise 
and crack with the growth of the tubers, culti¬ 
vation should cease, as any cutting of the roots 
now checks growth for a time, and when it 
starts again, the potato is liable to become 
knotty. The same effect is produced only more 
suddenly and effectually, 113 - the cutting of the 
tops in part or whole. Hence insects—potato 
bugs—should never be allowed to infest the 
vines aud eat the leaves. Abundant remedies 
are well known iuParis green,or London-purple. 
Blight, rot, etc,, come from extremes of 
temperature or moisture, which are best obvi¬ 
ated by having a porous, well drained soil. 
8 . 9. Digging, Marketing, etc. 
As soon as the vines have ceased growing 
aud show a slight yellowing of the leaves, and 
the tubei-s begin to assume a whitish appear¬ 
ance, and the skin begins to cling a little on 
the most mature potatoes, it is full time for the 
market man in the South to have his crop out 
and ou its way northward, or to the market 
stalls. 
A plow, or several of the improved diggers 
render effective service in skillful hands. 
As soon as the potatix’s are thrown ujxm the 
surface with the digger, pickers should follow 
in two gangs, the first with the baskets taking 
only the whole, sound marketable potatoes, 
carrying them directly to the packing-house, or 
shed, out of the sun, as un Irish potato, heated 
through in the direct Southern sun, will quick¬ 
ly sour and rot. In the early season when 
prices arc high, one-thinl bushel boxes, as for 
[teaches, should be used for shipping cases. 
Later,larger boxes or ventilated barrels can be 
used. The early crop will not keep here be¬ 
yond three weeks or a month with best care, 
in dr 3 ’, cool shade. The small [tufatoes are 
gathered by themselves, put away iu a well 
ventilated bai n, or open shed in shallow la 3 r ei-s, 
for a week or so, and at the first rainfall in 
July, the ground being properly prepared, are 
planted whole (if cut they usually rot, but 
sometimes, if weather is right, will come up 
much sooner than the whole potato) and will 
come up in course of three weeks or a month, 
aud, if Fall is favorable, will make a nice crop 
for Winter use and will keep well. But this 
product, should not again lie used as seed. 
Denison, Texas. 
NOTES ON THE POTATO. 
CHAS. A. GREEN. 
The Early Ohio has given us good results as 
an early potato. White Star, Mammoth 
Pearl. Beauty of Hebron, and Dakota Red are 
favorites for later. All these and other vari¬ 
eties have rotted to such an extent as to 
render the crop scarcely worth digging, 
with the exception of the Dakota Red, which 
has proved almost entirely rot-proof. We 
find that the Dakoto Red has defied the 
rot in other sections of Western New York. 
One farmer had sixteen acres and secured 
a big yield. It is a large red potato, 
with eyes too deeply sunken, and quality med¬ 
ium, and it is a vigorous grower and a great 
yielder. 
[It does not yield heavily at the Rural 
Grounds.] , 
Last J une we planted some hop roots that 
were left in the packing house, and iu the row 
a few straggling potato vines appeared. The 
potatoes were not hoed and received no atten¬ 
tion. we supposing them to be some ehnneo 
seedlings of a worthless variety that hap¬ 
pened to spring up. [.ate in the Fall our fore¬ 
man saw a large tuber protruding from tho 
hill, which induced him to dig and see what 
the hill produced. He brought into the office 
a bushel basket nearly half full of monstrous 
specimens. I cannot remember when I have 
