T© THE BUBAL MEW-Y©BKEti. 
new soil or on ground whichjms'not received 
an application of rich manure for several 
years. 3. Avoid all strong, partially decom¬ 
posed manures. 4. Plow deep and thoroughly 
pulverize the soil: eucourage the growth of 
the tuber rather than that of the stal k. 
Chittenden C'o., Vt. o. ir. Alexander. 
SCAB. 
In the Rural's excellent Potato Special of 
January 16th, Prof. Caldwell appears to have 
not fully noticed all that Worthington G. 
Smith says of the potato scab. In addition 
to the portion quoted from his work on "‘Dis¬ 
eases of Field and Garden Crops,” there will be 
found, under the head of “Smut on Potatoes," 
the form of the “smut," or scab, best known 
tome, theTuberciuiascabies. This is very pre¬ 
valent in sorao seasons and is at times, in 
warm cellars, very destructive to the stored 
crop. Mr, Smith, on page 85, fully describes 
the species of fungus that causes one of the 
commonest forms of scab. Thp fact that it Is 
described by Mr. Smith under the name of 
“smut” rather than “scab," is perhaps the 
reason why Prof. Caldwell failed to notice it, 
I do nob doubt that the scab produced by 
the cracking of potatoes by their rapid growth 
when grown on a rich soil, is assisted also very 
materially by wire-worms. I have found that 
potatoes used for seed, that are scabbed by 
the Tubereinia, are apt to yield a crop 
more or less affected liy scab, according as the 
season is warm and wet. I think Mr. Smith 
is correct in saying, “No potatoes showing a 
trace of smut, should be used as seed." 
Philadelphia, Pa. eli mtnch. 
THE EARLIEST. 
For Early Market the Early Ohio, I find 
by experiment, takes the lead of all the most 
prominent early potatoes. On April 10th, 
last year, I planted Chios, one and two eyes 
to a piece, and on June*36 I marketed tubers the 
size of goose eggs, of which there were four 
to six in each hill—period 68 days. I have 
seen about 01 potatoes making a bushel of 60 
pounds. Pearl of Savoy is two weeks later, 
but yields 12 to 15 marketable potatoes in each 
hill. C. HARRIS. 
Fraukliu Co., Ohio. 
THE POTATO QUESTION. 
Presupposing that the soil is in average 
good condition and drained—either naturally 
or artificial!}'—the discussion is narrowed to a 
consideration of improved methods and the 
application of labor-saving devices. Whether 
the land be iu sod or stubble, the best kind of 
plow, with jointer attached, should invari¬ 
ably be used, in order that all refuse which 
might interfere with thorough and unob¬ 
structed working of the soil, may be com¬ 
pletely buried out of the way. Plowing done, 
tlie pulverizer, in the shape of the Acme or 
some other equally good implement, should he 
put at work and kept at. it until the soil is 
thoroughly reduced; after this 1 have found 
the following treatment uniformly satisfac¬ 
tory: Buy, hire, beg or borrow a Kemp man¬ 
ure spreader and drive to the compost heap. 
For the benefit of this farmer’s savings bank 
my barn and yard are so arranged as to save 
all excreta, solid and liquid, from all stock 
upon the farm. In addition, every bit of farm 
refuse is deposited there, to be drawn out in 
the Spring. With every load of barnyard 
manure two or three loads of muck have been 
composted, and to assist iu decomposition, as 
well as to add in value, unlcached ashes have 
been incorporated in the proportion of 600 
pounds to as much manure os is desired upon 
one acre of land. To ©aeh 600 pounds of ashes 
200 of raw bone were added, that the potash 
in the ashes might render the plant-food in 
the bone available. To the above mixture 
160 pounds of air-slaked lime were added to 
assist the potash, and an equal quantity of 
gypsum to absorb the ammonia thus set free. 
The preparation of this compost heap has been 
a work and a study, hut it lias been a study of 
interest and a work of reward. The outlay I 
think justified, as the resultant benefit must 
be divided between several successive crops 
following the application of the manure. 
Load up the Kemp, attach the markers aud 
deposit the compost either broadcast or in 
drills. If in drills, follow with a light harrow 
lengthwise of the marks, to slightly cover the 
manure with soil, us the growing tubers are 
impatient of immediate contact with stable 
manure. Follow with the planter. As the 
plants are just about to break through the ' 
soil, harrow with a light, steel-tooth barrow, ' 
and kill millious of weeds and spare the hoe. 
Harrow again after a few days, and do it 
thoroughly and fear not. I have harrowed 
potatoes when a foot high, with uniformly i 
goo'l results. Use the cultivator and shovel ■ 
plow and when the blossoms show, stop: but t 
be ahead Of the blossoms in hilling up, if you i 
do not favor level culture, and don’t favor it j 
•unless you mu'ch the lan 1 . Discard the hoe, ( 
but drag the weeds to death. In the day of 
your reward, take your team and digger and 
turn out an abundaut crop. 
Wire-worms will not cause scab, but they 
will fill the ex-op with holes and rottenness. 
No remedy can he found for them equal to 
thorough imdenb-ainage. Scab is undoubted¬ 
ly caused by fungoid growth, aud, as well as 
rot, appears to be beyond the control of the 
cultivator. 
In Northern Ohio, the Snowflake is the 
standard of quality, and ranking near it are 
the Hebron and Rose. Burbank, Pearl and 
numerous others are greater yielders, while 
Burbauk commands the highest price here. 
Of the more desirable sorts from 250 to 450 
bushels per acre can be grown by the above 
methods in field culture, and the expense of 
production can be kept within 80 cents per 
bushel. If stored in a dark, dry cellar with a 
temperature as uniformly near to freezing as 
safety will permit, the remaining details of 
successful storage need little consideration. 
An affected potato will rot, even if varnished 
and insured. a. \v. russell. 
Cuyahoga Co., Ohio. 
POTATO GROWING IN THE PROVINCE 
OF QUEBEC. 
BY A MONTREAL MARKET GARDENER. 
Potatoes may be grown on auy kind of soil, 
but to grow them of the best quality, requires 
land of a sandy nature, well drained. To grow 
them for early market, plant the sets in hot¬ 
beds. as close together as they can be put, 
about trt days before setting them out in the 
field so that they may have a growth of an 
inch or so in length. Some start them in box¬ 
es or barrels iu a kitchen or warm room; but 
that is only when small quantities are wanted. 
Have the land plowed the FaJl before, aud in 
the Spring work it well with a pulverizing 
harrow. Draw the drills about 80 inches 
apart, putting the manure in the bottom at 
the rate of about 20 tons to the acre. It should 
be well retted. Plant the sets in the drills, 
alxmt 10 inches apart, sprouts up wan Is. hand¬ 
ling them carefully so as not to break off any 
shoote, and covering them gently with a little 
earth with the hands or feet to keep them from 
being dried by the suu before they are covered 
in with the drill plow. Before covering with 
the plow, apply commercial fertilizer at the 
rate ot about 400 pounds per acre, scattering 
it over the sets, using a fertilizer containing a 
good percentage of potash . By using fertilizers 
I have had potatoes 10 days earlier than some 
iu the same field where no fertilizer was used. 
Iu a few days the vines will be through the 
ground: keep the weeds uuder by the use of 
the hoe aud cultivator; when the plants are 
high enough, they should be moulded up with 
the drill plow. By this mode of cultivation I 
have had potatoes on the market by the end of 
June, bringing from two to three dollars per 
bushel. 
For general crop, plow in the manure in 
the Autumn, putting on 25 to 30 tons to the 
acre, and using 300 to 400 pounds of a good 
fertilizer as for early potatoes. Manure put 
in the drills in the Spring, especially cow 
manure, tends to produce scabbed potatoes. 
Plaut the sets immediately after making the 
drills, and cover them at once, for if the drills 
are made and left a day or two exposed to the 
stm, the hot earth scalds the sets so that they 
either never start, or come up weak and sick 
ly. It. is a gcod thing to pass the roller over 
the drills after covering in, as it makes the' 
ground Hi m so that it holds the moisture. 
4\ hen the potatoes are on the point of coming 
up, pass a saddle, brush or Scotch harrow, 
turned upside down, along the drills. Keep 
the woods down by hoeing and cultivating. 
Last year I had a crop at the rate of 450 
bushels of marketable potatoes j>er aero by 
this mode of cultivation. Land that has been 
in clover or posture for some time yields 
the largest crops. 
The earliest potato 1 have grown is the Early 
\ ermont. which has been ten days earlier 
than the Beauty of Hebron or the Rose. The 
former is a popular market variety, but was 
much affected by rot last, year. 
Last season I raised 200 bushels of Early 
Maine Potatoes, all marketable, besides some 
small ones, from 7\4 bushels of seed on lass 
than half an acre of laud, but I did not com¬ 
pare them for ourlinoss with the Early Ver¬ 
mont. 
Farmers in this neighborhood go into pota¬ 
to growing pretty largely, some of them hav- 
iug from50 to <5, or even 1(H) acres some sea¬ 
sons. 
-- 
HOW I PLANT POTATOES. 
I MANURE and plow the ground in the Fall, 
leaving the surface us rough as possible. I 
plow again iu the Spring, harrow it, well and 
then furrow it out, using a two-horse plow 
anil going twice in a place, dead-furrow fash¬ 
ion. Spread the fertilizer in'bottom of the 
furrow. Change the teeth on a Whipple 
spring-tooth harrow so that they will all run 
in the furrows, which will put the ground in 
fine order for planting, with the fertilizer well 
mixed with the soil in bottom of the trench. 
I next drop the seed-potatoes in drills or hills, 
as preferred. Then I prepare the spring- 
tooth harrow by removing the two center 
teeth, and going lengthwise of the row it 
covers the potatoes splendidly and leaves the 
ground in the most perfect order. Just as the 
vines are peeping through, I put on what ad¬ 
ditional fertilizer is desired, aud go through 
with a one-horse plow, throwing the soil 
towards the rows and burying the potatoes. 
Two days afterwards I harrow well, which 
levels the ground aud kills all the weeds. 
After this, I work with any good cultivator, 
and have no further trouble with weeds. 
Franklin, N. Y. w. v. 
-- 
EXPERIMENT WITH SCABBY POTA¬ 
TOES. 
I tried an experiment with scabby pota¬ 
toes during the season of 1885. My object was 
to leant whether they would perpetuate the 
disease, when used for seed. They were plant¬ 
ed upon land that had not been used for grow¬ 
ing potatoes before. The ground was a clayey 
loam, and bad been a Timothy meadow once, 
and was turned over aud planted with corn 
in 1884. and fitted up for potatoes in 1885 by 
plowing, harrowing and furrowing, and plant¬ 
ed with Burbanks May 21st. From the seeds 
that were planted, enough scabby seed was 
saved to plant a row by itself in the midfile of 
the field, the potatoes being so deformed by 
the disease that it would lie hard to tell to 
what variety they belonged. Most of the 
field was planted with medium-sized potatoes 
cut lengthwise in halves: the scabby ones 
used for the experiment were left whole. The 
season was a little too wet; but all made a 
fair growth, considering the season. 
After the vines were dead, and rather late 
iu the Fall, they were all dug. Whatever 
may be the cause of scab on potatoes, the con¬ 
ditions were not favorable to perpetuate it iu 
this experiment: all seemed free from the 
blemish. The men who dug aud picked them 
up were asked to notice if there was any dif¬ 
ference in the looks of the tubers from the 
two plantings, and they could see no differ¬ 
ence, unless the potatoes from the bad “seed" I 
were a little the larger. I noticed this pecu¬ 
liarity, and can account for it only on the 
supposition that the “seed" was so deformed 
by the disease that only a few vines grow to 
each hill. h. h. spencer. 
Cuyahoga Co., Ohio. 
[No doubt the scabby seed was caused iu 
this case by wire-worms aud not by a fungus 
—Eds.] 
9 m * 
POTATO TESTS IN MICHIGAN. 
In the Spriug of 1884 I planted, for experi¬ 
mental purposes, 18 varieties of potatoes on 
land very uniform in quality. 00 feet long 
north and south, and 55‘ 3 wide; soil a clay 
loam. The year before, it had grown corn, 
and had been top-dressed with barn-yard 
manure at the rate of eight two-horse loads 
per acre. It had been well pin wed and har¬ 
rowed and thoroughly mellowed. On May 20 
furrows were made six inches deep and three 
feet one inch apart, and next day three-eyed 
seed-pieces, cut from tubers that would aver¬ 
age five ounces each, were dropped 22 inches 
apart in the bottom of the furrows, aud four 
inches of earth drawn over them. Just be¬ 
fore the vines appeared, the ground was top- 
dressed with well-rotted yard manure at the 
rate of ten two-horse loads per acre well har¬ 
rowed iu. The ground was cultivated several 
times and kept quite Hat until the last of July, 
when the crop was shovel-plowed to cover the 
tubers exposed to the sun. No hoeing. The 
vines were dusted twice with Paris-green and 
plaster, mixed at t he rate of one pound of the 
former to 200 pounds of the latter per acre. 
The season was favorable. They were dug 
and weighed October 20th. 
Name of 
Varieties. 
White Star. 
Burl >ankS’il ling 
White Elephant 
Mam'th Urolilie 
Rural Blush. 
Koutul Pinkeye 
Iuip.iVaehblow 
Mammoth Pearl 
I Ate Rose. 
Blue Victor. 
Early Rose. 
MngnuniBouum 
Beautyof Il’brn 
Eureka.. 
Snow Hake. 
st. Patrick. 
Chleajw Market 
Triumph. 
Ujx 
* 
I* - 1 ?l -L I I 
if Jf %g!l J g. 3 - 
H If| 
|? II d*'£= Is 
lltii!! “J L !L 
i m I S g 8—j 
s IKi I 17 138 AM 10W i 13 1,; 
t> 1JW I 10 113 30130 (ill 5 1-16 
!> 1100 11 (111 396 it 13-16 
>' I® t« 100 390 40-80 j "3 9-16 
o ! s*. 3s tog iss 's r.-is 
3 !K1 15 105 1380 4 .5-16 
3 So 17 103 371 lore .1 l ie 
* I 92 !- 95 ,aii 8 :X )-60 i 7 Hi 
3 79 1,; 91 35010 6:1 3 4-16 
; 'U N 91 1313 |e * ■: ti.'i 11 iti 
» j TO 17 S7 338 310-1H 
I 70 16 SC 339 3000 S 111 
or. 31 SO Saxo-63 8 1-16 
o » 3 so 3313000 4 4-is 
J 88 18 71 1 19S 3 3-16 
1 i L i 17 64 1 to 10-60 310-16 
I I I 
V. 
;2 
•5 
S Hi 
J3> 
V. — 1 
i**, 2-1’ 
3*5 
c« u W 
«xi| .3 
0*1 
x i 
*f 
11 
s 
7 luT 
16 
' .> 
- 
* 
6 '131 
14 
3 
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S 116 
17 
1 
7 
6 J 103 
10 
B 
9 
9 100 
11 
; 6 
10 
10 1 93 
16 
] 7 
9 
9 35 
33 
1 s 
6 
3 ; no 
15 
9 
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3 Sri 
17 
10 
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5 SO 
13 
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a 79 
15 
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a so 
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II 
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16 
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7 
6 00 
!» 
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3 88 
16 
IS 
l 
i it 
l i 
17 
thriftiest. In the next column 1 denotes the 
earliest aud 10 the latest. 
The White Elephant is the best of the late 
varieties in quality. The Imp. Peachblow, 
IV hite Star and Rural Blush come next, in 
the order named, the Round Pinkeye being the 
poorest. Of the medium-early kinds I consid¬ 
er the Snowflake the best, followed by Late 
Rose, St. Patrick, Mammoth Pearl, Mam¬ 
moth Prolific, Magnum Bonum and Victor. 
Among the earliest I would place the Beauty 
of Hebron first, followed by Early Rose, Chi¬ 
cago Market and Eureka. Triumph is the 
poorest. I have grown the Ohio for two 
years and think it oue of the best; it is cer¬ 
tainly the earliest I have, but it is liable to 
become hollow when grown on strong land. 
The yield was best on the fall-plowed land 
cultivated in the Spring. I could see no dif¬ 
ference between that which was both fall and 
spring-plowed aud that which was only 
spring-plowed. It will he seen by the table 
that the White Star yielded more than the 
Elephant. The Stars were planted alongside of 
the Elephants in the main patch and out-yield¬ 
ed them, giving at the rate of 435 bushels per 
acre. Last Spring I planted the same kinds 
with nearly the same- results, White Star 
yielding the most, but they were not as good 
as the Elephants. I also planted the follow¬ 
ing varieties besides those tried the year be¬ 
fore: Queen Victoria, Early Vermont, Broc- 
ton, White Rose, Lady-finger and Late Beauty 
of Hebron. Queen Victoria was no better 
than the Blue Victor; the Vermont was about 
like the Early Rose; Brocton the same as 
Ohio; White Rose the same as the Snowflake, 
and the I.ate Hebron like the White Ele¬ 
phants. DAVID W. CRAIG. 
Lapeer Co., Mich. 
Iu^the scale showin g the srrowtlCof tons, l 
indicates the smallest and “10 the largest ana 
THE POTATO “PATCH." 
The potato is, decidedly, the poor man’s 
crop. It is the most economical vegetable, 
and the most palatable, as it. can be pre¬ 
pared in numberless ways. Tm-nips and cab¬ 
bage are good for a “change." but we would 
quickly grow tired of either as a steady article 
of diet. Scientific men frequently attempt to 
prove that there is really very little “ nutri¬ 
ment" in the potato, aud that there are far 
cheaper and better foods for the poorer 
classes. Such men never practice their owu 
theories. They have their choice of foods, 
they know little < >f the needs of poverty, or the 
effects of hard physical labor. Men who 
count the value of every penny, know that the 
potato is a valuable food. They would as 
soon think of beginning the winter with an 
empty potato bin, as with an empty flour 
barrel. In all the large manufacturing towns 
the sale of potatoes is enormous, and it actu- 
[ ally increases from year to year. For a man 
with a small garden spot, the potato is about 
the most profitable crop he can raise. I 
proved this to my own satisfaction some yeai-s 
ago, while working in a manufacturing town 
in Michigan. 1 had a little sandy garden spot, 
that was with difficulty kept from blowing 
away in a strong wiud. I tried raising small 
fnuts on it; but myaccount hook al ways showed 
that I could buy them cheaper at the store 
My early vegetables were uever early, and 
my corn never reached its full size. One 
year I determined to plant my full patch 
to potatoes as an experiment. The garden 
was too small to plow, so l dug it over with a 
long-handled spade. After digging, I raked 
the ground over with an iron rake, rakiug in 
two loads of horse manure. There was plenty 
of wood-ashes to be had for the tusking, and I 
worked bushel after bushel into that little 
garden, till I fairly changed the color of the 
soil. 1 dug holes with my hoe aud planted 
some small potatoes. 1 never knew what 
variety they were. The vines grew wonder¬ 
fully. I cut down every weed that showed it¬ 
self, and every morning and evening, iu pleas¬ 
ant weather, I swung my hoo among those 
vines. The bugs came, but 1 hired the children 
to pick them off. \Ve l>egnu to dig about the 
middle of August—just enough for table use 
each day. The potatoes were better than any 
I had ever seen; large and shapely and white 
and mealy. Porbajis they scorned better to 
me than they really were, but from the time 
those potatoes were large enough to eat. ray 
bills for meat and fish were lessened. I had 
three hoarders, all good eaters. We had those 
potatoes fried, baked, boiled and cooked in 
numberless other wavs, aud the more we varied 
the style of cooking. the more our boarders 
ate. Iu fact, they ate so many, that had we 
been obliged to buy them, there would have 
1>< vn a serious loss. When Lite vines died, I dug 
the whole patch. Tim ground seemed fairlv 
alive with the tubers. I was too busy to 
measure them. I had to take half a 
da> from my regular work for the digging, 
and T could not afford to experiment. I stored 
them in shallow boxen and bias iu the cellar, 
and they lasted us all Winter. It was the most 
successful farming I ever attempted. Ma ly 
workmen have a small garden spot in which 
they attempt to raise a great variety of vege¬ 
tables. I believe it would pay them! in a ma¬ 
jority of cases, to plant the whole patch to po¬ 
tatoes. That has beeu mv experience, at 
least, - ” a'RED MAN. 
