146 
Mat 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Cutting Potatoes for Planting. 
We copy the following article from the April No. of 
the Genesee Farmer , as confirmatory of the practice 
recommended by our correspondent Mr. Howatt. 
After all that has been written on the subject, it is still 
a disputed point whether it is better to plant large or small 
potatoes, whole potatoes or sets. 
The fleshy matter of the potato unquestionably furnish¬ 
es food for the young plant; and, on theoretical grounds, 
it might be supposed that the larger the potatoes—the more 
fleshy matter there is to each eye—the more vigorous 
would be the early growth of the plant. This is probably 
true so far as the growth of leaves and stems is concerned, 
and it may be o-f seed (balls) also ; but it must be borne in 
mind, in applying general principles to the cultivation of 
the potato 1 that the object is not to develop the natural 
growth of the plant, hut to increase the formation of tu¬ 
bers—of the underground “ gouty branches .' 1 ' 1 The present 
habit of the plant is the result somewhat of artificial 
treatment ; and in order to retain this habit, we must re¬ 
sort to those practices which have been found from expe¬ 
rience to induce the formation of tubers, rather than to 
those which are deduced from the general principles ap¬ 
plicable to the natural growth of plants. Dr. Lindlky— 
a high authority—says : “ I have proved, by a series of 
numerous experiments, that the weight of potatoes per 
acre is greater, under equal circumstances, from sets than 
from whole tubers, by upwards of from seven cwt. to three 
tons per acre.” An excessive amount of alimentary mat¬ 
ter in the sets, therefore, is injurious rather than benefi¬ 
cial. 
It does not follow from this fact, however, that small 
potatoes are better for seed than large ones. Small pota¬ 
toes are apt to throw' up too many small, soft stems, which 
produce smaller tubers than where there is one, or at most 
two, stout Avoody stems. It seems, also, to he proved that 
a set from a good-sized potato is better than a set from a 
small one ; and it is probably true, as the experiments of 
the Rev. James Farquharson indicate, that large potatoes 
planted whole will produce a greater crop of good-sized 
potatoes than small ones planted whole. Yet it does not 
follow from this that there is not too much fleshy matter 
in the large potato when planted whole, and that it would 
not he better, as Dr. Lindley states, to plant only sets from 
the large potato. 
It is a curious fact, but one which seems to be well 
established, that the eyes from the extremity of the 
potato, produce crops which come to 
maturity from two to three weeks 
earlier than those from the root end. In 
some parts of England, farmers who 
raise early potatoes for market have 
availed themselves of this fact for ma¬ 
ny years. They cut the potatoes in¬ 
to sets, as shown in the annexed sketch. 
The sets nearest the extremity of the 
potato (a) produce the earliest crop, and 
are planted by themselves, in warm pla¬ 
ces, for this purpose. The sets at the 
root end (d) are planted for a late crop, 
and those in the middle of the potato (b, c,) are planted for 
an intermediate crop. The root end is usually thrown 
aside for the pigs. 
It has been supposed that the reason why the eyes from 
the point of the potato are more easily excited into growth, 
is owing to their being more perfectly matured ; but this 
is impossible, as they are the youngest eyes. It seems to 
us more likely that the cause lies in the fact that the ex¬ 
tremity of the potato is not so ripe as the root end—that, 
in other words, they are not so perfectly organized, and 
are consequently less able to resist the decomposing influ¬ 
ences of light, air, and moisture. “ That which thou sow- 
est is not quickened unless it die.” The organized matter 
of a plant must he decomposed (or die) before it can re¬ 
produce itself. The youngest eyes, being less perfectly 
organized, would decay soonest and grow earlier and with 
greater vigor. It will he urged as an objection to this 
view, that the ripest buds of trees start earliest. But the 
cases are not parallel. They derive nourishment from the 
sap of the tree, and not from the decay of organic matter 
surrounding them. Still, whether our reasoning is correct 
or not, the fact that the buds at the extremity of the po¬ 
tato will produce the earliest crop, seems to he beyond 
dispute ; and those who wish early potatoes may avail 
themselves of it, even though the cause may not be clearly 
understood. 
The true generosity of the heart is more displayed 
by deeds of minor kindness, than by acts which may 
partake of ostentation. 
Apple Seed Washer. 
Since we published, a few weeks since, the account 
of Mattison^ apple-seed washer, we have been furnish¬ 
ed with another by J. T. of Ohio, which he thinks is a 
better one, and he states that it will clean as fast as 
the pomace can be drawn, with a full supply of water. 
The figure nearly explains itself—the first fall i® two 
feet, the second and third eighteen inches; the vat is 
two feet by three, and eight feet long. There are 
gates in the lower boxes to wash down the seed into a 
basket when completed. 
The pomace is soaked and loosened in the upper box 
or vat, and then by drawing the gate, its fall on the 
slats at the upper end of each succeeding box, sepa¬ 
rates the seed without any additional labor, after dump¬ 
ing the cart in the upper vat. 
This is a more complex contrivance than Mattison’s, 
and therefore should be decidedly better to recommend 
it. Will J. T. inform us bow much seed has been wash¬ 
ed in an hour, with the amount of labor required. 
-» c a -— 
Calomel a Remedy for Pear Blight. 
Page 110, Co. Gent.—“Diseases of Fruit Trees.” 
A grafter in my employ says that down in Egypt, (Il¬ 
linois,) where there is a plenty of Marsh-metre, (mi¬ 
asma,) they cure the fire blight the same as they do 
the fever and ague, and bilious patients, by dosing 
them with calomel—a double dose for a man to be given 
a good sized pear tree under the bark, by carefully 
raising it. He has never known it to fail when applied 
before more than half of the tree has been affected. Y 
Cure for String Halt. 
In order to cure the string halt, split the skin on the 
inner side of the affected leg, four inches above the 
hoof, over the main middle vein of the leg, and under¬ 
neath the vein you will fi*ki a small cord about the siae 
of a rye straw. This must be taken up with an awl 
and cut in two, which will certainly eure. Let the 
operator be careful not to cut the vein or any of the 
sinews of the leg. Wash the wound with soap suds, 
twice every day till it is well. H. H. A. Rockville. 
Recipe for Brown Bread. 
Messrs. Eds.—I will give you a receipt for making 
brown bread, which I think is very good. Take three 
quarts of Indian meal—-one quart shorts one tea cup 
full molasses—two yeast cakes—one tablespoon gin- 
g er _ one jo. salt—two tea spoonfuls soda. Raise the 
same as you do wheat bread. Bake four hours in a 
slow oven. Emeline C. Hall. Easton, N. Y. 
—-- 
The Glenville Stock Association (Kentucky,) are 
to hold their third exhibition on the 10th of June. 
