,core ,historical ,literature of        
,agriculture 7,,chla71 ,albert ,r4 ,mann
 ,library1 ,cornell ,university         
7http3_/_/chla4library4cornell4edu_/7   
http3_/_/chla4library4cornell4edu_/cgi_/
t_/text_/text-idx8cchla2idno#bibceaj    
,transcriber's note3        ,text       
enclosed between tilde characters was in
 bold face in       the original 7bold  
face74        oe represents the         
oe-ligature4      ,,the #ajj4 ,,prize   
,,essay ,,on ,,the ,,cultivation ,,of   
,,the ,,potato4  ,prize offered by ,w4  
,t4 ,,wylie and awarded to ,d4 ,h4      
,,compton4  ,,how ,,to ,,cook ,,the     
,,potato1  ,furnished by ,prof4 ,,blot4 
,illustration     ,,illustrated4        
,,price1 #be ,,cents4  ,new-,york3      
,,orange ,,judd ,,co41 ,no4 #gea        
,,broadway4     ,,prize ,,essay ,,on    
,,the ,,potato ,,and ,,its              
,,cultivation4  #ajj4   ,in the fall of 
#ahfh1 ,i offered #ajj as a prize for   
the best ,essay on the ,cultivation of  
the ,potato1 under conditions then      

published2 the prize to be awarded by a 
committee composed of the following     
gentlemen1 well known in agricultural   
circles3  ,colonel ,,mason ,c4 ,,weld1  
,associate ,editor of ,american         
,agriculturist4  ,a4 ,s4 ,,fuller1      
,,esq41 of ,ridgewood1 ,n4 ,j41 the     
popular author of several horticultural 
works1 and ,associate ,editor of the    
,hearth and ,home4  ,dr4 ,f4 ,m4        
,,hexamer1 who has made the cultivation 
of the potato a special study4  ,in the 
month of ,january1 #ahgj1 the committee 
awarded the prize to ,d4 ,a4 ,compton2  
and this ,essay is herewith submitted to
 the public in the hope of stimulating a
 more intelligent and successful        
cultivation of the ,potato4             
,,bellefonte1 ,,pa41 ,january1 #ahgj4   
,w4 ,t4 ,,wylie4                        
,,office ,,of ,,the ,,american          
,,agriculturist1                        
,,new-,,york1 ,january1 #ahgj4          
,,rev4 ,w4 ,t4 ,,wylie3 ,,dear ,,sir3   
,the essays submitted to us by ,mr4     

,bliss1 according to your announcement1 
numbered about twenty4      ,several    
could not be called essays from their   
brevity1 and others      were           
exceedingly incomplete4 ,about twelve1  
however1 required and      were worthy  
of careful consideration4 ,that of ,mr4 
,d4 ,a4 ,compton1 of      ,hawley1      
,wayne ,county1 ,pa41 was1 in the       
opinion of your committee1              
decidedly superior to the others as a   
practical treatise1 sure to      be of  
use to potato-growers in every part of  
the country1 and well      worthy the   
liberal prize offered by yourself4      
,in behalf of the committee1 sincerely  
yours1                                  
,,mason ,c4 ,,weld1 ,chairman4          
,,potato ,,culture4  ,,by ,d4 ,a4       
,,compton1 ,,hawley1 ,,pennsylvania4    
,the design of this little treatise is  
to present1 with minuteness of detail1  
that mode of culture which experience   
and observation have proved to be best  
adapted to the production of the ,potato

 crop4  ,it is written by one who       
himself holds the plow1 and who has1    
since his early youth1 been engaged in  
agriculture in its various branches1 to 
the exclusion of other pursuits4  ,the  
statements which appear in the following
 pages are based upon actual personal   
experience1 and are the results of many 
experiments made to test as many        
theories4  ,throughout the ,northern    
,states of our country the potato is the
 third of the three staple articles of  
food4 ,it is held in such universal     
esteem as to be regarded as nearly      
indispensable4 ,this fact is sufficient 
to render a thorough knowledge of the   
best varieties for use1 the character of
 soil best adapted to their growth1     
their cultivation and after-care1       
matters of the highest importance to the
 farmers of the ,united ,states4  ,the  
main object of this essay is so to      
instruct the novice in potato-growing   
that he may be enabled to go to work    
understandingly and produce the potato  

in its highest perfection1 and realize  
from his labors bestowed on the crop the
 greatest possible profits4   ,,soil    
,,required--,,its ,,preparation4  ,the  
potato is most profitably grown in a    
warm1 dry1 sandy1 or gravelly loam1 well
 filled with decayed vegetable matters4 
,the famous potato lands of ,lake       
,county1 ,ohio1 from which such vast    
quantities of potatoes are shipped      
yearly1 are yellow sand4 ,this potato   
district is confined to ridges running  
parallel with ,lake ,erie1 which1       
according to geological indications1    
have each at different periods defined  
its boundaries4 ,this sand owes much of 
its potato-growing qualities to the     
sedimentary deposit of the lake and to  
manural properties furnished by the     
decomposition of the shells of          
water-snails1 shell-fish1 etc41 that    
inhabited the waters4  ,new lands1 or   
lands recently denuded of the forest1 if
 sufficiently dry1 produce tubers of the
 most excellent quality4 ,grown on dry1 

new land1 the potato always cooks dry   
and mealy1 and possesses an agreeable   
flavor and aroma1 not to be attained in 
older soils4 ,in no argillaceous soil   
can the potato be grown to perfection as
 regards quality4 ,large crops on such  
soil may be obtained in favorable       
seasons1 but the tubers are invariably  
coarse-fleshed and ill-flavored4 ,to    
produce roots of the best quality1 the  
ground must be dry1 deep1 and porous2   
and it should be remembered that1 to    
obtain very large crops1 it is almost   
impossible to get too much humus in the 
soil4 ,humus is usually added to arable 
land either by plowing under green      
crops1 such as clover1 buckwheat1 peas1 
etc41 or by drawing and working in muck 
obtained from swamps and low places4    
,the muck should be drawn to the field  
in fall or winter1 and exposed in small 
heaps to the action of frost4 ,in the   
following spring1 sufficient lime should
 be mixed with it to neutralize the     
acid1 7which is found in nearly all     

muck17 and the whole be spread evenly   
and worked into the surface with harrow 
or cultivator4  ,leaves from the woods1 
buckwheat straw1 bean1 pea1 and hop     
vines1 etc41 plowed under long enough   
before planting to allow them time to   
rot1 are very beneficial4 ,sea-weed1    
when bountifully applied1 and turned    
under early in the fall1 has no superior
 as a manure for the potato4 ,no stable 
or barn-yard manure should be applied to
 this crop4 ,if such nitrogenous manure 
must be used on the soil1 it is better  
to apply it to some other crop1 to be   
followed the succeeding year by         
potatoes4 ,the use of stable manure     
predisposes the tubers to rot2 detracts 
very much from the desired flavor2      
besides1 generally not more than one    
half as many bushels can be grown per   
acre as can be obtained by using manures
 of a different nature4 ,market         
gardeners1 many of whom from necessity  
plant on the same ground year after     
year1 often use fine old stable manure  

with profit4 ,usually they plant only   
the earlier varieties1 crowd them with  
all possible speed1 dig early1 and sell 
large and little before they have time  
to rot1 thus clearing the ground for    
later-growing vegetables4 ,thus grown1  
potatoes are of inferior quality1 and   
the yield is not always satisfactory4   
,flavor1 however1 is seldom thought of  
by the hungry denizens of our cities1 in
 their eagerness to get a taste of      
something fresh4  ,market gardeners will
 find great benefit from the use of     
wood-ashes1 lime1 and the phosphates4   
,sprinkle superphosphate in the hill at 
the rate of two hundred pounds per acre2
 mix it slightly in the soil with an    
iron rake or potato-hook1 then plant the
 seed4 ,just before the last hoeing1    
sprinkle on and around the hill a large 
handful of wood-ashes1 or an equal      
quantity of lime slacked in brine as    
strong as salt will make it4  ,but for  
the generality of farmers1 those who    
grow only their own supply1 or those who

 produce largely for market1 no other   
method of preparing the soil is so good1
 so easy1 and so cheap as the following2
 it requires time1 but pays a big       
interest3 ,seed down the ground to      
clover with wheat or oats4 ,as soon as  
the grain is off1 sow one hundred and   
fifty pounds of plaster 7gypsum7 per    
acre1 and keep off all stock4 ,the next 
spring1 when the clover has made a      
growth of two inches1 sow the same      
quantity of plaster again4 ,about the   
tenth of ,july1 harrow down the clover1 
driving the same direction and on the   
same sized lands you wish to plow2 then 
plow the clover neatly under about seven
 inches deep4 ,harrow down the same way 
it was plowed1 and immediately sow and  
harrow in two bushels of buckwheat per  
acre4 ,when it has grown two inches1 sow
 plaster as before2 and when the        
buckwheat has grown as large as it will1
 harrow down and plow under about five  
inches deep4 ,this1 when cross-plowed in
 the spring sufficiently deep to bring  

up the clover-sod1 is potato ground     
first-class in all respects4  ,it is    
hardly supposable that this mode of     
preparation of soil would meet with     
favor among all farmers4 ,there is a    
parsimonious class of cultivators who   
would consider it a downright loss of   
time1 seed1 and labor2 but any one who  
will take the trouble to investigate1   
will find that these same parsimonious  
men never produced four hundred bushels 
of potatoes per acre2 and that the few  
bushels of small tubers that they do dig
 from an acre1 are produced at          
considerable loss4 ,men do not gather   
grapes from thorns1 nor figs from       
thistles4  ,to make potato-growing      
profitable in these times of high prices
 of land and labor1 it is absolutely    
necessary that the soil be in every way 
fitted to meet any and all demands of   
the crop4  ,it is said that in the      
,state of ,maine1 previous to the       
appearance of the potato disease1 and   
before the soil had become exhausted by 

continued cropping1 potatoes yielded an 
average of four hundred bushels per     
acre4 ,now1 every observer is aware that
 the present average yield of the same  
vegetable is much less than half what it
 was formerly4 ,this great deterioration
 in yield can not be attributed to      
running out of varieties2 for varieties 
are extant which have not yet passed    
their prime4 ,it can not be wholly due  
to disease2 for disease does not occur  
in every season and in every place4     
,true1 we have more insects than        
formerly1 but they can not be           
responsible for all the great falling   
off4 ,it is traceable mainly to poverty 
of the soil in certain ingredients      
imperatively needed by the crop for its 
best development1 and to the pernicious 
effect of enriching with nitrogenous    
manures4 ,any one who will plant on     
suitably dry soil1 enriched only with   
forest-leaves1 sea-weeds1 or by plowing 
under green crops until the whole soil  
to a proper depth is completely filled  

with vegetable matter1 will find to his 
satisfaction that the potato can yet be 
grown in all its pristine vigor and     
productiveness4  ,to realize from       
potato-growing the greatest possible    
profits1 7and profits are what we are   
all after17 the following conditions    
must be strictly adhered to3 ,first1 the
 ground chosen must be dry1 either      
naturally or made so by thorough        
drainage2 a gently sloping1 deep1 sandy 
or gravelly loam is preferable4 ,second1
 the land should be liberally enriched  
with humus by some of the means         
mentioned1 if it is not already present 
in the soil in sufficient quantities1   
and the soil should be deeply and       
thoroughly plowed1 rendering it light1  
porous1 and pulverulent1 that the air   
and moisture may easily penetrate to any
 desirable depth of it2 and a proper    
quantity of either wood-ashes or lime1  
or both1 mixed with common salt1 should 
be harrowed into the surface before     
planting1 or be applied on top of the   

hills immediately after planting4 ,and1 
finally1 the cultivation and after-care 
should be prompt1 and given as soon as  
needed4 ,nothing is more conducive to   
failure1 after the crop is properly     
planted1 than failure in promptness in  
the cultivation and care required4      
,,general ,,remarks ,,on ,,manuring     
,,with ,,green ,,crops4  ,experience    
proves that no better method can be     
adopted to bring up lands partially     
exhausted1 which are remote from cities1
 than plowing under green crops4 ,by    
this plan the farmer can take lot after 
lot1 and soon bring all up to a high    
state of fertility4 ,true1 he gathers no
 crop for one year1 but the outlay is   
little2 and if in the second year he    
gathers as much from one acre as he     
formerly did from three1 he is still    
largely the gainer4  ,it costs no more  
to cultivate an acre of rich1 productive
 land than an acre of poor1 unproductive
 land2 and the pleasure and profit of   
harvesting a crop that abundantly       

rewards the husbandman for his care and 
labor are so overwhelmingly in favor of 
rich land as to need no comment4        
,besides1 manuring with green crops is  
not transitory in its effects2 the land 
remembers the generous treatment for    
many years1 and if at times lime or     
ashes be added to assist decomposition1 
will continue to yield remunerative     
crops long after land but once treated  
with stable manure or guano fails to    
produce any thing but weeds4 ,the       
skinning process1 the taking off of     
every thing grown on the soil and       
returning nothing to it1 is ruinous     
alike to farm and farmer4 ,thousands of 
acres can be found in various parts of  
the country too poor to pay for         
cultivating without manuring4 ,of the   
capabilities of their lands under proper
 treatment the owners thereof have no   
idea whatever4 ,such men say they can   
not make enough manure on the farm and  
are too poor to buy4 ,why not1 then1    
commence plowing under green crops1 the 

only manure within easy reach8 ,if fifty
 acres can not be turned under the first
 year1 put at least one acre under1     
which will help feed the rest4 ,why be  
contented with thirty bushels of corn   
per acre1 when eighty or one hundred may
 be had8 ,why raise eight or twelve     
bushels of wheat per acre1 when forty   
may as well be had8 ,why cut but one    
half-ton of hay per acre1 when the laws 
of nature allow at least three8 ,why    
spend precious time digging only one    
hundred bushels of potatoes per acre1   
when with proper care and culture three 
or four hundred may easily be obtained8 
,and1 finally1 why toil and sweat1 and  
have the poor dumb beasts toil and      
sweat1 cultivating thirty acres for the 
amount of produce that should grow1 may 
grow1 can grow1 and has grown on ten    
acres8  ,the poorest1 most forsaken     
side-hills1 cobble-hills1 and knolls1 if
 the sand or gravel be of moderate      
depth1 underlaid by a subsoil rather    
retentive1 by turning under green crops 

grow potatoes of the first quality4 ,if 
land be so poor that clover will not    
take1 as is sometimes the case1 seed to 
clover with millet very early in the    
spring1 and harrow in with the millet   
thirty bushels of wood-ashes1 or two    
hundred pounds of guano per acre2 then  
sow the clover-seed one peck per acre2  
brush it in4  ,if neither ashes nor     
guano can be obtained at a reasonable   
price1 sow two hundred pounds of gypsum 
per acre as soon as the bushing is      
completed4 ,this will not fail in giving
 the clover a fair foothold on the soil4
  ,before the millet blossoms1 cut and  
cure it for hay4 ,keep all stock off the
 clover1 plaster it the following       
spring1 plow it under when in full      
bloom2 sow buckwheat immediately2 when  
up1 sow plaster2 when in full bloom1    
plow under and sow the ground           
immediately with rye1 to be plowed under
 the next ,may4 ,thus three crops are   
put under within a year1 the ground is  
left strong1 light1 porous1 free from   

weeds1 ready to grow a large crop of    
potatoes1 or almost any thing else4     
,much is gained every way by having and 
keeping land in a high state of         
fertility4 ,some crops require so long a
 season for growth1 that high condition 
of soil is absolutely necessary to carry
 them through to maturity in time to    
escape autumnal frosts4 ,in the ,western
 ,states manure has hitherto been       
considered of but little value4 ,the    
soil of these ,states was originally    
very rich in humus4 ,for a time wheat   
was produced at the rate of forty       
bushels per acre2 but according to the  
statistics given by the ,agricultural   
,department at ,washington1 for the year
 #ahff1 the average yield in some of    
these ,states was but four and a half   
bushels per acre4 ,it is evident from   
this that ,mr4 ,skinflint has had things
 pretty much his own way4 ,his land now 
produces four and a half bushels per    
acre2 what time shall elapse when it    
shall be four and one half acres per    

bushel8 ,who dare predict that manure   
will not at some day be of value west of
 the ,alleghanies8 ,new-,jersey1 with a 
soil naturally inferior to that of      
,illinois1 contains extensive tracts    
that yearly yield over one hundred      
bushels of ,indian corn per acre1 while 
the average of the ,state is over       
forty-three2 and the average yield of   
the same cereal in ,illinois is but     
little over thirty-one bushels per acre4
 ,in the ,western ,states1 where        
potatoes are grown extensively for      
,southern markets1 the average yield is 
about eighty bushels per acre2 while in 
old ,pennsylvania could be shown the    
last year potatoes yielding at the rate 
of six hundred and forty bushels per    
acre4 ,there are those who argue that   
manure is never necessary--that         
plant-food is supplied in abundance by  
the atmosphere2 it was also once said a 
certain man had taught his horse to live
 without eating2 but it so happened that
 just as he got the animal perfectly    

schooled1 it died4  ,good1 thorough     
cultivation and aeration of the soil    
undoubtedly do much toward the          
production of crops2 but mere           
manipulation is not all that is needed4 
,that growing plants draw much          
nourishment from the atmosphere1 and    
appropriate largely of its constituents 
in building up their tissue1 is         
certainly true2 it is also certainly    
true that they require something of the 
soil besides mere anchorage4 ,all facts 
go to show that if the constituents     
needed by the plant from the soil are   
not present in the soil1 the efforts of 
the plant toward proper development are 
abortive8 ,what sane farmer expects to  
move a heavy load over a rugged road    
with a team so lean and poverty-stricken
 that they cast but a faint shadow8 ,yet
 is he much nearer sanity when he       
expects farming to be pleasant and      
profitable1 and things to move aright1  
unless his land is strong and fat8 ,is  
he perfectly sane when he thinks he can 

skin his farm year after year1 and not  
finally come to the bone8 ,the farmer on
 exhausted land must of necessity use   
manure4 ,manure of some kind must go    
under1 or he must go under2 and to the  
great mass of cultivators no mode of    
enriching is so feasible1 so cheap1 and 
attended with such satisfactory results1
 as that of plowing under green crops4  
,the old plan of leaving an exhausted   
farm1 and going ,west in search of rich 
government land1 must soon be abandoned4
 ,already the head of the column of     
land-hunters have fetched up against the
 ,pacific1 and it is doubtful whether   
their anxious gaze will discover any    
desirable unoccupied soil over its      
waters4  ,the writer would not be       
understood as saying that all farms are 
exhausted1 or that there is no way of   
recuperation but by plowing under green 
crops4 ,what he wishes understood is1   
that where poor1 sandy1 or gravelly     
lands are found1 which bring but small  
returns to the owner1 by subjecting them

 to the process indicated1 such lands   
bring good crops of the kind under      
consideration4 ,and further1 that land  
in the proper condition to yield a      
maximum crop of potatoes1 is fitted to  
grow other crops equally well4 ,neither 
would the writer be understood as       
arguing that a crop of clover and one of
 buckwheat should be turned under for   
each crop of potatoes2 where land is    
already in high condition1 it may not be
 necessary4 ,a second growth of clover  
plowed under in the fall for planting   
early kinds1 and a clean clover sod     
turned in flat furrows in the spring1   
for the late market varieties1 answer   
very well4 ,to turn flat furrows1 take  
the furrow-slice wide enough to have it 
fall completely inside the preceding    
one4  ,potatoes should not be planted   
year after year on the same ground2     
trouble with weeds and rapid            
deterioration of quality and quantity of
 tubers soon render the crop            
unprofitable4 ,loamy soil planted       

continuously soon becomes compact1      
heavy1 and lifeless4 ,where of necessity
 potatoes must be grown yearly on the   
same soil1 it is advisable to dig rather
 early1 and bury the vines of each hill 
in the one last dug2 then harrow level1 
and sow rye to be plowed under next     
planting time4  ,the intelligent farmer1
 who grows large crops for market1 will 
always so arrange as to have a          
clover-sod on dry land in high condition
 each year for potatoes4 ,it is said by 
many1 in regard to swine1 that the breed
 is in the trough2 though this is       
certainly untrue to a certain extent1   
yet it is undeniable that in            
potato-growing success or failure is in 
the character of soil chosen for their  
production4  ,why clover1 or clover and 
buckwheat lands1 are so strongly urged  
is1 such lands have in them just what   
the tubers need for their best and      
healthiest development2 the soil is     
rendered so rich1 light1 and porous1 and
 so free from weeds1 that the           

cultivation of such land is rather a    
pleasure than otherwise1 and at the     
close of the season the tangible profits
 in dollars and cents are highly        
gratifying4   ,,varieties4  ,from the   
fact that the ,united ,states produce   
about #aji1jjj1jjj bushels of potatoes  
annually1 it might be supposed a great  
many varieties would be cultivated4     
,such1 however1 is not the fact4 ,of the
 varieties extant1 comparatively few are
 grown extensively4  ,every grower's    
observation has established the fact    
that for quality the early varieties are
 inferior to the late ones4 ,the ,early 
,june is very early1 but its quality is 
quite indifferent4 ,the ,cherry ,blow is
 early1 attains good size1 and yields   
rather well4 ,in quality it is poor4    
,the ,early ,kidney1 as to quality1 is  
good1 but will not yield enough to pay  
for cultivation4 ,the ,cowhorn1 said to 
be the ,mexican yam1 is quite early1 of 
first quality1 but yields very poorly4  
,the ,michigan ,white ,sprout is early1 

rather productive1 and good4 ,jackson   
,white is in quality quite good1 is     
early1 and a favorite in some places4   
,the ,monitor is rather early1 yields   
large crops2 but as its quality is below
 par1 it brings a low price in market4  
,philbrick's ,early ,white is one of the
 whitest-skinned and whitest-fleshed    
potatoes known4 ,it is about as early as
 ,early ,goodrich1 is quite productive1 
and grows to a large size1 with but few 
small ones to the hill4 ,its quality is 
excellent4 ,it has not yet been         
extensively tested4 ,the ,early ,rose is
 said to be very early1 of excellent    
quality1 and to yield extremely well4   
,it has1 however1 not been very widely  
tested4 ,perhaps for earliness and      
satisfactory product1 the ,early        
,goodrich has no superior4 ,it is of    
fair quality1 and though some seasons it
 does not yield as well as others1 yet1 
all things considered1 it is a desirable
 variety4 ,the old ,neshannock1 or      
,mercer1 is among the latest of the     

early varieties4 ,as to quality1 it is  
the standard of excellence of the whole 
potato family4 ,but it yields rather    
poorly1 and its liability to rot1 except
 on soils especially fitted for it1 has 
so discouraged growers that its         
cultivation in many sections is         
abandoned4 ,on rather poor1 sandy soil1 
manured in the hill with wood-ashes1    
common salt1 and plaster only1 it will  
produce in ordinary seasons two hundred 
bushels per acre of sound1 merchantable 
tubers1 that will always command the    
highest market price4 ,any potato       
cultivated for a long series of years   
will gradually become finer in texture  
and better in quality2 but its liability
 to disease will also be greatly        
increased4 ,as an instance of this1 it  
will be remembered that when the ,merino
 and ,california varieties were first   
introduced1 they were so coarse as to be
 thought fit only to feed hogs1 and for 
this purpose1 on account of their great 
yielding qualities1 farmers continued to

 cultivate them1 until finally they     
became so changed as in many sections to
 be preferred for the table4 ,their     
cultivation1 however1 is now nearly     
abandoned4  ,of the later varieties1 the
 ,garnet ,chili1 a widely-diffused and  
well-known sort1 deserves notice4 ,it is
 not of so good quality as the ,peach   
,blow2 but its freedom from disease1 and
 the large crop it produces1 make it a  
favorite with many growers4 ,the chief  
fault with it is1 the largest specimens 
are apt to be hollow at the centre4 ,it 
ripens rather early2 and1 even when dug 
long before maturity1 it has a dryness  
and mealiness1 when prepared for the    
table1 not found in many other sorts4   
,the ,buckeye is extensively grown for  
market2 its yield is not satisfactory1  
and its quality is only medium4 ,the    
,dykeman is yet grown to some extent1   
but will soon be superseded4  ,the      
,prince ,albert is a well-known and     
highly-esteemed variety1 approaching    
very near the ,peach ,blow in quality4  

,one peculiarity of this potato is1 the 
largest tubers appear to be of as good  
quality as the small ones4 ,with proper 
soil and culture1 it yields a fair crop2
 is quite free from disease2 and its    
smoothness1 high flavor1 and fine       
appearance make it much sought after in 
the market4  ,the ,fluke1 a very late   
potato1 is a great favorite with many   
who produce for market4 ,its yield is   
very large2 and its smoothness and      
uniformity of size make it altogether a 
desirable variety4 ,it is generally free
 from disease4 ,in quality it is rather 
above medium4  ,the ,harrison1 if it    
should do as well in the future as it   
has done in the past1 bids fair to      
become the potato for general           
cultivation4 ,it has yielded in this    
section1 on soil of moderate fertility1 
with ordinary culture1 one peck to the  
hill of uniform-sized1 merchantable     
potatoes4 ,it is a strong1 vigorous     
grower1 and very healthy4 ,its quality1 
though not the very best1 is good4 ,the 

,willard1 lately originated by ,c4 ,w4  
,gleason1 of ,massachusetts1 is a       
half-early variety4 ,it is enormously   
productive1 of a rich rose color1       
spotted and splashed with white4 ,the   
flesh is white4 ,in form and size it    
closely resembles the ,early ,goodrich1 
its parent4 ,it has not been extensively
 tested1 but certainly promises well4   
,the ,excelsior is said1 by those       
interested in its sale1 to be very      
productive1 and of most excellent       
quality1 retaining its superior flavor  
all the year round4 ,it is claimed that 
old potatoes of this variety are better 
than new ones of most early kinds1 thus 
obviating the necessity of having early 
sorts4 ,the ,excelsior is said to cook  
very white and mealy2 form nearly round1
 eyes prominent4 ,it has not been much  
tested out of the neighborhood where it 
originated4  ,but the potato-eater is   
yet unborn who can justly find fault    
with a properly-grown ,peach ,blow4 ,it 
is pronounced by many equal or superior 

to the ,mercer in quality1 which is not 
the fact4 ,it is emphatically a late    
potato2 and1 though it does not yield as
 well per acre as some other sorts1 it  
is comparatively healthy2 and its       
quality is such that it always brings a 
high price in the market4 ,in fact1 but 
few other kinds of late sorts could find
 sale if enough of this kind were       
offered to supply the demand4 ,planted  
ever so early1 it keeps green through   
the heat of summer1 and never matures   
its tubers until after the fall rains1  
and then no potato does it more rapidly4
  ,grown on rich argillaceous soil1 it  
will be hollow1 coarse flesh1 and       
ill-flavored2 but planted on such soil  
as is recommended1 it is about all that 
could be desired4 ,it is a strong1      
vigorous grower2 and one peculiarity of 
it is1 that insects will not attack     
vines of this variety if other kinds are
 within reach4  ,planted on extremely   
poor ground1 it will1 perhaps1 yield    
more bushels of tubers1 and those of    

better quality1 than any other variety  
that could be planted on the same soil4 
,among all the old or new sorts1        
perhaps1 no potato can be found that    
deteriorates so little in quality from  
maturity to maturity again4 ,and1 in    
fine1 where only high quality with      
moderate yield are desired1 it has few  
if any superiors4  ,many other varieties
 might be mentioned2 but the list given 
includes about all of much merit4 ,new  
varieties are constantly arising1       
clamoring for public favor1 many of     
which are wholly unworthy of general    
cultivation4 ,one or two varieties1 such
 as are adapted to the grower's locality
 and market1 are preferable to a greater
 number of sorts grown merely for       
variety's sake4   ,,influence ,,of      
,,soil ,,on ,,seedlings4  ,the          
characteristics of a potato1 such as    
quality1 productiveness1 healthfulness1 
uniformity of size1 etc41 depend much on
 the nature of the soil on which it     
originated4 ,these characteristics1 some

 or all1 imbibed by the minute potato   
from the ingredients of the soil1 at its
 first growth from the seed of the      
potato-ball1 adhere with great tenacity 
to it through all its generations4 ,a   
seedling may1 in size1 color1 and form  
resemble its parent2 but its            
constitution and quality are in a great 
degree dependent on the nature of the   
soil1 climatic influences1 and other    
accidental causes4  ,true crosses are   
generally more vigorous and healthy than
 others2 and it is probably to          
accidental crosses we are indebted for  
many varieties that differ so widely    
from their parents4 ,a cross is most    
apparent to the eye when the parents are
 of different colors1 in which case the 
offspring will be striped or marked with
 the colors of each parent4   ,,how ,,to
 ,,cross ,,varieties4  ,in order to     
comprehend fully the principles of this 
subject1 and their application to       
practical operations1 it will be        
necessary to take a general view of the 

generative organs of the vegetable      
kingdom1 and the manner in which they   
act in the production of their species4 
,if we examine a perfect flower1 we     
shall find that it consists essentially 
of two sets of organs1 one called the   
pistils1 the other the stamens4 ,the    
pistils are located in the centre of the
 flower1 and the stamens around them4   
,the summit of the pistil is called the 
stigma2 and on the top of each stamen is
 situated an anther--a small sack1 which
 contains the pollen1 a dust-like       
substance1 that fertilizes the ovules or
 young seeds of the plant4  ,these      
organs are supposed to perform offices  
analogous to those of the animal        
kingdom--the stamens representing the   
male1 and the pistils the female organs4
  ,when the anthers1 which contain the  
pollen1 arrive at maturity1 they open   
and emit a multitude of minute grains of
 pollen2 and these1 falling on the      
pistils of the flower1 throw out        
hair-like tubes1 which penetrate through

 the vascular tissue of the pistil1 and 
ultimately reach the ovules1 thus       
fertilizing them1 and making them       
capable1 when mature1 of reproducing    
plants of their own kind4  ,the ovules  
are the rudimentary seeds1 situated in a
 case at the base of the pistils1 each  
consisting of a central portion1 called 
the nucleus1 which is surrounded by two 
coats1 the inner called the secundine1  
the outer the primine4 ,when the        
hairlike tube of the pollen-grain passes
 through the orifice in the coatings of 
the ovule1 and reaches the nucleus1 or  
embryo sack1 it is supposed to emit a   
spermatic or plantlet germ1 which passes
 through the wall of the embryo sack and
 enters the germinal vesicle contained  
in it4 ,the vesicle corresponds to the  
vesicle1 or germinal spot1 in the eggs  
of birds1 and ovum of mammiferous       
animals4 ,the germ remains in the       
vesicle1 and finally becomes the embryo1
 fully developed into a plantlet1 as may
 be seen in many seeds4  ,flowers of    

plants are called perfect when the      
stamens and pistils are in the same     
flower1 as the apple2 monoecious1 when  
in different flowers and on the same    
plant1 as the white oak2 and dioecious1 
when in different flowers and on        
different plants1 as in the hemp4 ,in   
that class of plants in which the       
stamens1 or males1 are on one plant1 and
 the pistils1 or females1 on another1   
the males of course must always remain  
barren2 and the pistilates1 to be       
fruitful1 must have the pollen from the 
anthers of the staminate brought in     
contact with its stigma by wind1        
insects1 or other means4 ,in plants with
 perfect flower1 the stamens are        
generally situated around and above the 
pistil1 so that the pollen falls upon   
the stigma by mere force of gravity4 ,in
 the potato1 the pollen is conveyed from
 the anthers to the stigma by actual    
contact of the two organs4              
,cross-breeding in plants consists in   
fertilizing one variety with the pollen 

of another variety of the same species4 
,the offspring is called a cross-breed1 
or variety4 ,the process of             
cross-breeding consists in taking the   
pollen of one variety and applying it to
 the stigma of another variety1 in such 
a way as to effect its fertilization4   
,this is done by cutting away 7with     
scissors7 the stamens of the flower to  
be fertilized1 a short time before they 
arrive at maturity1 and taking a flower 
in which the pollen is ripe1 dry1 and   
powdery1 from the stalk of the variety  
wished for the male parent2 and holding 
it in the right hand1 and then striking 
it on the finger of the left1 held near 
the flower1 thus scattering the pollen  
on the stigma of the pistil of the      
flower to be fertilized4 ,the utmost    
care should be taken to apply the pollen
 when the flower is in its greatest     
vigor1 and the stigma is covered with   
the necessary coating of mucus to insure
 a perfect connection of the pollen with
 the pistil1 and make the fertilization 

perfect4 ,all flowers not wanted in the 
experiment should be removed before any 
pollen is formed4  ,it is necessary to  
tie a thin piece of gauze over the      
flower to be fertilized1 before and     
after crossing1 to prevent insects from 
conveying pollen to it1 thus frustrating
 the labors of the operator4 ,if the    
operation has been successful1 the      
pistil will soon begin to wither2 if not
 perfect1 the pistil will continue fresh
 and full for some days4 ,this modus    
operandi is substantially the same in   
crossing fruits1 flowers1 and vegetables
 throughout the vegetable kingdom4      
,hybridizing differs from cross-breeding
 only in fertilizing one species1 or one
 of its varieties1 with the pollen of   
another species1 or one of its          
varieties1 of the same or a different   
genus4 ,the offspring is called a       
hybrid1 or mule4 ,hybrids1 with very few
 exceptions1 are sterile1 they fail to  
propagate themselves from seed1 and     
must1 to preserve them1 be propagated by

 grafts1 layers1 or suckers4 ,no change 
is perceptible in the fruit produced    
from blossoms upon which the operation  
of cross-breeding or hybridizing has    
been performed2 but the seed of fruits  
so obtained may be planted with the     
certainty of producing a fruit or tuber 
commingling the qualities1 colors1 and  
main characteristics of both parents4   
,experience1 however1 shows that the    
characteristics of the male predominate 
somewhat in the offspring4 ,to judicious
 cross-breeding and hybridizing we owe  
most of our superior fruits and         
vegetables4 ,if the operation were more 
generally known and practiced by        
farmers1 the most gratifying results    
would be soon obtained1 not only in the 
production of the most valuable         
varieties of potatoes and other         
vegetables1 but also in fruits1 flowers1
 and grain of every description4        
,,smooth ,,vs4 ,,rough ,,potatoes4      
,other things being equal1 smooth       
potatoes are preferable to those with   

deeply-sunken eyes4 ,the starch being   
most abundant near the skin1 not so much
 is lost by the thin paring of the      
former as by the necessarily deeper     
paring of the latter4  ,varieties       
usually well formed sometimes grow so   
knobby and ill-shaped as to be scarcely 
recognized4 ,this is caused by severe   
drought occurring when the tubers are   
about two thirds grown1 causing them to 
partially ripen4 ,on the return of      
moisture1 a new growth takes place1     
which shows itself in knobby            
protuberances4   ,,cut ,,and ,,uncut    
,,seed4  ,many growers argue that       
potatoes should be planted whole4 ,the  
only plausible theory in support of     
whole seed is1 that the few eyes that do
 start have a greater supply of starch  
available from which to obtain nutriment
 until the plant can draw support from  
the soil and atmosphere4 ,but           
experiments also demonstrate that if all
 the eyes except one or two near the    
middle be cut out of the seed-potato1   

such seed will push with the greatest   
possible vigor4  ,many eyes of the uncut
 seed start1 but the stronger soon      
overpower the weaker1 and finally starve
 them out4 ,a plot planted with three   
small1 uncut potatoes to the hill1 and  
another planted with three pieces of two
 eyes each to the hill1 will not show   
much difference in number of vines      
during the growing season4  ,the poor   
results sometimes attending cut seed are
 almost always traceable to improper    
seed improperly cut4 ,only large1       
mature1 sound tubers should be used4    
,cut them in pieces of two or three eyes
 each1 taking pains to secure around    
each eye as much flesh as possible1 also
 under the eye to the centre of the     
tuber4  ,experiments prove that eyes    
from the seed end produce potatoes that 
mature earliest2 they are also smallest4
 ,those from the large or stem end are  
largest1 latest1 and least in numbers4  
,eyes from the middle produce tubers of 
very uniform size4  ,if small1          

ill-shaped potatoes be planted on the   
same ground for three successive years1 
the results will give the best variety a
 bad name4  ,much is gained by changing 
seed4 ,no two varieties are made up of  
the same constituents exactly in the    
same proportion2 hence1 a soil may be   
exhausted for the best development of   
one1 and still be fitted to meet the    
demands of another4 ,even when the same 
variety is desired1 experience shows the
 great benefit of planting seed grown on
 a different soil4 ,the best and most   
extensive growers procure new seed every
 two or three years1 and many insist on 
changing seed every year2 and           
undoubtedly the crop is often doubled by
 the practice4   ,,planting ,,and       
,,manuring4  ,early kinds should be     
planted as soon as the ground has become
 sufficiently dry and warm4 ,late market
 varieties should be planted about two  
weeks later than the early ones4        
,unquestionably more bushels can be     
obtained per acre by planting in drills 

than in hills1 but the labor of         
cultivating in drills is much the       
greater4  ,prepare the ground by        
thorough plowing1 making it decidedly   
mellow4 ,mark it out four feet apart    
each way1 if to be planted in hills1 by 
plowing broad1 flat-bottomed furrows    
about three inches deep4 ,at the        
crossings drop three pieces of potato1  
cut1 as directed1 in sections of two or 
three eyes each4 ,place the pieces so as
 to represent the points of a triangle1 
each piece being about a foot distant   
from each of the other two4 ,if the cut 
side is put down1 it is better2 cover   
about two inches deep4 ,where land is   
free from stone and sod1 the covering   
may be well and rapidly done with a     
light plow4 ,immediately after planting1
 sprinkle over and around each hill a   
large handful of unleached wood-ashes   
and salt1 7a half-bushel of fine salt   
mixed with a barrel of ashes is about   
the right proportion47 ,if ashes can not
 be obtained1 as is sometimes the case1 

apply instead about the same quantity of
 lime slacked in brine as strong as salt
 will make it4 ,the potato from its     
peculiar organization has a hungering   
and thirsting after potash4 ,wood-ashes 
exactly meet its wants in this          
direction4 ,lime indirectly supplies    
potash by liberating what was before    
inert in the soil4 ,salt in small       
quantities induces vigorous1 healthy    
growth4 ,to obtain the best results1 the
 ashes or lime should be covered with   
about half an inch of soil4 ,this plan  
of manuring in the hill is recommended  
only in cases where the fertilizers     
named are in limited supply1 and it is  
desirable to make the most of them4     
,maximum crops have been obtained by    
using the fertilizers named in the      
manner described2 but where they can be 
obtained at low prices1 it is certainly 
advisable1 and requires less labor1 to  
apply all three1 ashes1 lime1 and salt1 
broadcast in bountiful quantities1 and  
harrow it in before the ground is marked

 out for planting4   ,,cultivation4  ,if
 weeds are expected1 pass a light harrow
 over the rows just before the vines are
 ready to burst through2 this will      
disturb them and render them less       
troublesome4 ,as soon as the tops are   
two inches high1 run a corn-plow five   
inches deep close to the hills1 turning 
the furrows from the rows4  ,plow both  
ways twice between the rows1 finishing  
on the rows running east and west1 which
 will give the sun's rays a better      
chance to warm the ground properly4     
,standing on the squares of earth1      
warmed on all sides by the air and      
sunlight1 the potatoes will grow        
amazingly4 ,just as soon as the tops    
have attained a height of six or seven  
inches1 hitch a strong horse to a       
two-horse plow1 and turn furrows fully  
seven inches deep midway between the    
rows to the hills4 ,plow twice between  
the rows both ways2 and if the ground be
 a side-hill1 turn the first furrow     
between the rows up-hill1 which will    

leave the rows in better shape4 ,hoeing 
is often wholly unnecessary2 but where1 
from weeds or poor plowing1 it is       
needed1 draw mellow earth to the plants 
with the hoe1 keeping the top of the    
hills somewhat hollow to catch the      
rains4 ,then1 so far as stirring the    
soil is concerned1 let it alone4  ,after
 potatoes are fairly up1 their          
cultivation should be crowded through   
with all possible speed1 or at least as 
rapidly as the growth of the tops will  
permit4  ,if the last plowing be        
deferred until the vines are large1 a   
large proportion of small potatoes is   
sure to be the consequence4 ,after a    
certain stage of growth1 new tubers are 
formed each time the soil is disturbed2 
these never fully develop1 they rob     
those first formed1 and make the crop   
much inferior to what it should be4 ,by 
the mode of culture described1 the      
ground is made warm and mellow close up 
to the seed-potatoes1 the roots soon    
fill the whole hill1 and tubers are     

formed that have nothing to do but to   
grow4 ,the writer is aware flat culture 
has strong advocates2 but1 after many   
experiments1 he is convinced that hills 
are much the best4   ,,plaster4         
,however much lime or other fertilizers 
may be applied to the soil1 still great 
benefit is derived from the use of      
plaster1 7sulphate of lime47  ,after    
all1 plaster is the main dependence of  
the potato-grower1 a help on which he   
may rely with the utmost confidence4    
,astonishing results are obtained from  
its use1 when applied in a proper       
manner4 ,the writer has seen a field1   
all of the same soil1 all prepared      
alike1 and all planted with the same    
variety at the same time1 on one half of
 which1 that had no plaster1 the yield  
was but sixty bushels per acre1 and many
 rotten2 the other part1 to which       
plaster was applied in the manner       
hereafter explained1 yielded three      
hundred and sixty bushels per acre1 and 
not an unsound one among them4  ,the    

action of plaster is often puzzling4    
,from the fact that where land has been 
strongly limed1 a small quantity of     
plaster applied shows such decided      
benefit1 there would seem plausibility  
in ,liebig's theory that its effects    
must be traceable not to the lime1 but  
to the sulphuric acid4 ,the ammonia in  
rain-water in the form of carbonate 7a  
volatile salt7 is decomposed by plaster1
 the sulphuric acid having greater      
affinity for it1 thus forming two new   
compounds1 sulphate of ammonia and      
carbonate of lime4 ,but as arable soil  
has the same property of absorbing      
ammonia from the air and rain-water1 and
 fixing it in the same or even a higher 
degree than lime1 there is only the     
sulphuric acid left to look to for an   
explanation of the favorable action of  
plaster on the growth of plants4  ,it is
 found that plaster in contact with soil
 undergoes decomposition1 part of the   
lime separating from the sulphuric acid1
 and magnesia and potash taking its     

place1 quite contrary to the ordinary   
affinities4  ,these facts show that the 
action of plaster is very complex1 and  
that it promotes the distribution of    
both magnesia and potash in the ground1 
exercising a chemical action upon the   
soil which extends to any depth of it2  
and that1 in consequence of the chemical
 and mechanical modifications of the    
earth1 particles of certain nutritive   
elements become accessible and available
 to plants that were not so before4  ,it
 is said plaster is of most benefit in  
wet seasons2 such is not always the     
case4 ,it is certainly beneficial to    
clover1 wet or dry2 so of potatoes4  ,a 
few years since1 when the drought was so
 intense in this section as to render   
the general potato crop almost a total  
failure1 the writer produced a plentiful
 crop by the use of plaster alone4 ,on  
examination at the dryest time1 the     
bottoms of the hills were found to be   
literally dust1 yet in this dust the    
tubers were swelling finely3 the leaves 

and vines were of a deep rich green1 and
 remained so until frost1 while other   
fields in sight1 planted with the same  
variety1 but not treated with plaster1  
were brown1 dead1 and not worth digging4
 ,that gypsum attracts moisture may be  
proved by plastering a hill of corn and 
leaving a hill by it unplastered2 the   
dew will be found deposited in greater  
abundance on the plastered hill4 ,but1  
according to ,liebig1 certain products  
of the chemical action of plaster enter 
into and are incorporated with the      
structure of the plant1 closing its     
breathing pores to such an extent that  
the plant is enabled to withstand a     
drought which would prove fatal to it   
unassisted4  ,certain it is that plaster
 renders plants less palatable to       
insects1 and1 so far as the writer's    
experiments extend1 it is fatal to many 
of the fungi family4 ,to obtain the best
 results1 the vines of potatoes should  
be dusted with plaster as soon as they  
are fairly through the soil1 again      

immediately after the last plowing and  
hoeing1 and1 for reasons hereafter      
given1 at intervals throughout the whole
 growing season4 ,the first application 
may be light1 the second heavier1 and   
thereafter it should be bountifully     
applied1 say two hundred pounds per acre
 at one sowing4   ,,the                 
,,potato-,,rot--,,its ,,cause  ,the year
 #ahde will ever be memorable by its    
giving birth to a disease which         
threatened the entire destruction of the
 potato crop1 and which caused suffering
 and pecuniary ruin to an incredible    
extent throughout ,europe4  ,the potato1
 at the time of the appearance of the   
potato disease1 was almost the sole     
dependence of the common people of      
,ireland for food4 ,that over-populated 
country experienced more actual         
suffering in consequence of the potato  
disease than has any other from the same
 cause4 ,although this disease has      
never1 in this country1 prevailed to the
 same ruinous extent that it has in some

 others1 yet we are yearly reminded of  
its existence1 and in some seasons and  
localities its destructive effects are  
seriously apparent4  ,the final or      
culminating cause of the disease known  
as the potato-rot is ,botrytis          
7peronospora7 infestans4 ,this may be   
induced by many and various predisposing
 causes1 such as feebleness of          
constitution of the variety planted1    
rendering them an easy prey to the      
disease2 by planting on low1 moist land1
 or on land highly enriched by          
nitrogenous manures1 causing a morbid   
growth which invites the disease2 also  
by insects or their larv puncturing or  
eating off the leaves or vines4 ,but by 
far the most wide-spread and most common
 cause of the disease is sudden changes 
of atmospheric temperature1 particularly
 when accompanied by rain4 ,drought1    
though quite protracted and severe1     
unless accompanied by strong drying     
winds1 and followed by sudden and great 
reduction of temperature1 seldom affects

 the potato seriously4 ,it is not       
uncommon in the ,northern ,states1      
during the months of ,august and        
,september1 for strong westerly winds to
 prevail for many days in succession4   
,these winds1 coming from the great     
,american desert1 are almost wholly     
devoid of moisture1 and their aridity is
 often such that vegetation withers     
before them as at the touch of fire4    
,evaporation is increased in a          
prodigiously rapid ratio with the       
velocity of wind4 ,the effects of the   
excessive exhalation from the leaves of 
plants exposed to the sweep of such     
drying winds are at once seriously      
apparent4  ,when these winds finally    
cease1 the atmosphere has a low relative
 humidity1 not enough moisture remains  
in the air to prevent radiation2 the    
heat absorbed by the earth through the  
day is1 during the bright1 cloudless    
night1 rapidly radiated and lost in     
space1 and a reduction in temperature of
 twenty to thirty degrees is the        

consequence4  ,in the first place1 the  
potato-vines suffer by excessive        
exhalation2 in the second1 by sudden    
reduction of temperature1 and1 though   
not frozen1 their functions are much    
deranged1 and their vitality greatly    
enfeebled4 ,to use a common expression1 
the plant has caught a violent cold that
 has settled on the lungs4  ,the leaves 
7which are the lungs of plants7 now fail
 to perform their functions properly4   
,the points of many of the leaves turn  
brown1 curl up1 and die4  ,the ascending
 sap1 not being fully elaborated by the 
diseased leaves1 oozes out through the  
skin of the stalk in a thick1 viscous   
state1 and the plant to all appearance  
is in a state of consumption4  ,at this 
stage the ever-present minute spores of 
the ,botrytis infestans eagerly pounce  
on the sickly plant1 fastening          
themselves on its most diseased parts4  
,the ,botrytis infestans is a           
cryptogamous plant1 and is included in  
the ,mucidineous family1 7moulds47 ,it  

is a vegetable parasite preying upon the
 living potato plant1 like lice or other
 animal parasites upon the animal       
species4  ,at first this mould forms    
webby1 creeping filaments1 known in     
botanical language as mycelium4 ,these  
root-like fibres then branch out1       
sending out straight or decumbent       
articulated stems4 ,these bead-like     
joints fill up successively with seeds  
or spores1 which are discharged at the  
proper time to multiply the species4    
,under favorable conditions of warmth   
and moisture1 the mycelium spreads very 
rapidly4 ,spores are soon formed and    
matured1 to be carried to plants not yet
 infected4 ,rains also wash the seminal 
dust down the plant1 causing it to      
fasten and grow on the vine near the    
ground4 ,the roots of the parasite      
penetrate and split up the stalk even to
 the medullary canal4  ,these roots     
exude a poisonous substance1 which is   
carried by the elaborated descending sap
 down to the tubers1 and as the largest 

tubers require the largest amount of    
elaborated sap for their development1   
they will1 consequently1 receive the    
greatest quantity of the vitiating      
principle1 and will1 on digging1 be     
found a mass of rottenness1 when the    
smaller ones are often but slightly     
affected4 ,the ,botrytis infestans can  
not gain a lodgment on vines that are   
truly healthy and vigorous1 high        
authority to the contrary               
notwithstanding4  ,healthy varieties1   
growing in a sheltered situation on dry1
 new soil1 to which no nitrogenous      
manures have been applied1 can not be   
infected1 though brushed with other     
vines covered with the fungus4          
,different varieties1 and sometimes     
different members of the same variety1  
are not always alike affected by the    
disease1 though growing in the same     
hill4  ,as will be noticed1 the potato  
disease is rather an effect than a      
cause1 and appears to have been designed
 to prevent members enfeebled by        

accident or otherwise from propagating  
their species by putting such members   
out of existence4 ,ozone1 supposed to be
 a peculiar form of oxygen1 is exhaled  
from every part of the green surface of 
plants in health1 and effectually repels
 the attacks of mildew2 but it is found 
that when the atmosphere is very dry1   
or1 on the other hand1 very humid1      
plants cease to evolve ozone1 and are   
therefore unprotected4 ,winds from the  
ocean are strongly ozonic1 and it is    
ascertained that plants growing on soil 
to which salt has been applied evolve   
more ozone than others4 ,hence the      
benefit derived from the use of salt on 
potato lands4  ,the ,black knot1 another
 species of fungus that attacks the     
branches of the plum and ,morello       
cherry1 operates very similarly to the  
potato mildew4 ,the roots of the        
parasite penetrate and split up the     
cellular tissue of the branch on which  
it fastens1 and if the limb be not      
promptly amputated1 the descending sap  

carries the deleterious principle       
through the whole system1 and the       
following year the disease appears in a 
greatly aggravated form in every part of
 the whole tree4 ,the remedy in this    
case is prompt amputation of the part   
diseased on its first appearance1 and a 
judicious application of salt to the    
soil4  ,common salt1 to a certain       
extent1 is as beneficial to some plants 
as to animals2 and every intelligent    
farmer knows that if salt be withheld   
from the bovine genus for any           
considerable length of time1 the general
 health droops and parasites are sure to
 abound4 ,the object of nature in       
bringing into existence the large family
 of mildews1 each member of which is a  
perfect plant in its way1 and as capable
 of performing its functions as the oak 
of the forest1 was undoubtedly to       
prevent propagation from sickly stock1  
and by the decomposition of feeble      
plants to make room and enrich the soil 
for the better development of healthier 

plants4 ,but it by no means follows     
that1 because a plant is attacked by    
mildew1 it must necessarily be left to  
die1 any more than it follows that1     
because an animal is infested with      
vermin1 it should be let alone to be    
eaten up by them4   ,,remedy ,,for ,,the
 ,,potato-,,rot4  ,in treating for the  
potato-rot1 an ounce of prevention is   
worth a pound of cure2 for when leaves  
or vines are once dead1 they ever remain
 so4 ,all that can be done for potatoes 
infested is to stop the mildew from     
spreading1 by destroying it where it is1
 and by strengthening those things which
 remain4 ,the writer was led to the     
adoption of the remedy proposed by      
experiments made upon fruits4  ,every   
one who has an apple or pear-orchard    
must have observed that mildew of fruit 
supervenes after some sudden change of  
temperature1 especially when accompanied
 by rain4 ,spots of mildew invariably   
form on the young fruit immediately     
after a cold night1 when the thermometer

 has indicated a change of twenty to    
twenty-five degrees4 ,this growth of    
mildew takes place when the apples are  
of various sizes1 from the earliest     
formation to the size of large marbles4 
,these fungous growths appear as        
dark-colored spots1 which arrest the    
growth of the apple immediately beneath1
 causing it to become distorted1 while  
the expansion and contraction bring on  
diseased action1 which results in the   
cracking and general scabbiness of the  
fruit4  ,knowing that dry-rot 7,merulius
 ,lachrymans1 ,schum17 another species  
of fungus1 was remedied by an           
application of sulphuric acid1 ,i       
thought it might possibly destroy the   
fruit mildew4 ,an application of        
plaster1 7gypsum17 which is composed of 
lime and sulphuric acid1 was made with  
the happiest results4 ,it was found that
 an apple dusted with ground plaster at 
its first formation remained free from  
mildew and came to maturity1 while      
apples growing by it1 but not so        

treated1 became scabby and worthless4   
,it was also ascertained that a thorough
 application of plaster destroyed the   
mildew after it had formed1 and that    
such fruit came to maturity4 ,on the    
potato mildew1 so far as the writer's   
experience extends1 plaster1 if applied 
early1 is a perfect prevention1 and if  
not delayed too long after the disease  
appears1 is a certain remedy4  ,the     
vines should be watched closely1 and on 
the first appearance of the disease     
plaster should be applied2 not merely   
sowing it broadcast1 but dashing it over
 and under the vines1 bringing it in    
contact with the stalks1 using a handful
 to three or four hills4 ,plaster for   
this purpose should be very dry and     
powdery1 and should be applied when the 
air is still4 ,one application is seldom
 sufficient2 it should be renewed as    
often as circumstances require4 ,examine
 the vines about three days after a cold
 night1 or about the same length of time
 after a heavy rain4 ,if the leaves     

begin to curl and wither1 apply plaster 
at once2 and1 in short1 whenever the    
vines show any signs of drooping1 be the
 cause bites of insects1 excessive      
aridity1 or excessive humidity of the   
atmosphere1 or sudden change of         
temperature1 drooping from any cause    
whatever indicates the approach of      
mildew1 which should be promptly met    
with an application of plaster4 ,as     
before stated1 plaster the vines as soon
 as they are up1 again after the last   
plowing and hoeing2 after that1 one1    
two1 or three times1 as circumstances   
indicate4  ,by this method the vines are
 kept of a bright lively green1 and the 
tubers are kept swelling until growth is
 stopped by frost4 ,another point gained
 is1 potatoes so grown are so sound and 
free from disease as to be easily kept  
for spring market without loss by rot4  
,whether the surprising effects of      
plaster on the potato mildew is         
attributable to the sulphuric acid1 to  
the lime1 or to its simply being a dust1

 has not been determined4 ,it is well   
known that the fruits of a vineyard or  
orchard in close proximity to a dusty   
and much frequented highway are         
remarkably free from mildew1 which can  
only be due to dust settling on the     
trees and fruit4 ,but in the case of    
plaster1 the writer is inclined to      
believe its efficacy is mainly due to   
the sulphuric acid1 probably assisted by
 the lime in a state of dust4 ,be this  
as it may1 it matters not4 ,the result  
is all that can be desired2 the remedy  
is easily applied1 costs but a trifle1  
and a single season's trial is all that 
is needed to convince the most skeptical
 grower of its merits4   ,,digging ,,and
 ,,storing  ,is full half the labor of  
growing and securing a crop of potatoes4
 ,digging is a long1 laborious task4    
,many small fortunes are sunk yearly by 
inventors in experimenting with and     
constructing potato-diggers2 but1 so    
far1 no machine has done the work       
properly except under the most favorable

 circumstances4 ,stones1 vines1 and     
weeds are obstacles not yet fully       
overcome4 ,many tubers are left covered 
with earth1 and so lost2 and besides1   
some machines so bruise the potatoes in 
digging as to injure their appearance   
and keeping qualities4 ,undoubtedly1 the
 day will come when the great bulk of   
potatoes will be dug well and rapidly by
 horse-power2 but until that day does   
come1 the potato-hook must be used4     
,much of the back-ache and general      
unpleasantness incident to digging is   
avoided1 or greatly mitigated1 by having
 the potatoes large and sound1 turning  
out a peck to the hill1 especially if   
the digger is the owner of the crop4    
,digging should be done only when the   
ground is dry1 that the potatoes may    
come out clean and bright4 ,a small     
plow1 to turn a light furrow from each  
side of the rows1 is some help4 ,pull up
 the vines1 and lay them down so that   
they will be covered by the dirt dug    
from the hill4 ,commence on one side of 

the hill2 press the hook or hoe down1 so
 that it will reach a trifle below the  
potatoes1 and draw the implement firmly 
toward you4 ,repeat the operation1 each 
time placing the tool a few inches      
further in or across the hill1 until the
 whole hill is dug4 ,by this method the 
potatoes will not be bruised2 whereas1  
if the digging be commenced in the      
centre of the hill1 many potatoes will  
be sacrificed and much injured4         
,potatoes should be picked up as soon   
and as fast as dug2 and immediately     
covered with straw or other material1 to
 protect them from the light4 ,a few    
hours' strong sunshine will ruin the    
best potato ever grown4 ,light changes  
the natural color to green1 and renders 
the potato so bitter and unpalatable as 
to be wholly unfit to eat4  ,owing to   
the inconsiderate way in which potatoes 
are often dug1 and the light to which   
they are exposed while being transported
 to and while in market1 the denizens of
 our cities seldom1 if ever1 taste this 

vegetable in its greatest excellence4   
,if to be stored in the cellar1 the     
potatoes should be left in the field1 in
 heaps covered with straw1 until the    
sweating is over1 and then be removed to
 the cellar and lightly covered with dry
 sand1 or earth1 just sufficient to     
exclude the light4  ,if to be buried in 
the field1 choose a dry1 sideling place2
 scrape out a slight hollow1 by merely  
removing the surface soil with a hoe2   
into this1 pile ten to twelve bushels2  
place the potatoes properly1 and cover  
them carefully with clean straw1 six    
inches deep2 cover over the straw with  
four or five inches of earth1 except a  
small opening at the top2 over this     
opening place a board or flat stone1    
elevated a little on one side1 to lead  
off the rain4  ,let them remain so until
 the sweating is completely over1 or so 
long as prudence will permit2 and when  
cold weather fairly sets in1 add more   
earth to keep from freezing1 leaving    
only a wisp of straw protruding through 

to carry off any foul air that may be   
generated4  ,where the winters are      
intensely cold1 it is best to cover but 
lightly with earth1 say five or six     
inches deep2 and when freezing is       
becoming severe1 spread over the heap   
buckwheat straw1 or coarse manure1 to   
the depth of six inches4 ,there is      
danger in covering very deep at first1  
especially if the autumn should prove   
warm4 ,if kept too warm1 rot is sure to 
ensue4 ,experience shows that any       
vegetable keeps better buried in pits   
that contain not more than ten or twelve
 bushels each4  ,where large quantities 
are to be buried1 it is advisable to    
open a long1 shallow1 broad trench1     
leading up and down a hill1 if possible1
 to secure good drainage4 ,commence1 at 
either end1 by placing a desirable      
quantity of potatoes as soon as dug2    
next to these put a little straw2       
against the straw place about six inches
 of earth2 then more straw and more     
potatoes2 and so keep on until the      

trench is full4 ,a few furrows plowed on
 each side assist in covering2 and make 
a drain to lead off the rains1 which is 
a matter of the first importance4 ,by   
this method each lot of potatoes is kept
 separate2 and any section can be opened
 at any time to be taken to market1     
without endangering the others4         
,potatoes buried properly are usually of
 better flavor in the spring than it is 
possible for potatoes to be which are   
kept in a common cellar4  ,and here let 
me add that1 if leaves from the woods be
 used instead of straw1 to cover        
potatoes to be buried1 such potatoes    
will be of better flavor2 and further1  
if nothing but dry earth comes in       
contact with them1 they will be better  
still4 ,straw is used for the twofold   
purpose of securing an air-chamber to   
keep out frost1 and to prevent the earth
 from mingling with the tubers on       
opening the pits4   ,,insects           
,,injurious ,,to ,,the ,,potato4  ,there
 are ten distinct species of insects    

preying upon the potato-plant within the
 limits of the ,united ,states4 ,many of
 these ten species are confined within  
certain geographical limits4 ,their     
habits and history differ very widely4  
,some attack the potato both in the     
larva state and in the perfect or winged
 state2 others in the perfect or winged 
state alone2 and others again in the    
larva state alone4  ,in the case of     
seven of these insects1 there is but one
 single brood every year2 while of the  
remaining three there are every year    
from two to three broods1 each of them  
generated by females belonging to       
preceding broods4 ,eight of the ten feed
 externally on the leaves and tender    
stems of the potato2 while two of them  
burrow1 like a borer1 exclusively in the
 larger stalks4  ,each of these ten     
species has its peculiar insect enemies2
 and a mode of attack which will prove  
very successful against some of them    
will often turn out to be worthless when
 employed against the remainder4        

,illustration  ,the ,stalk-,borer1,a    
7,gortyna nitela1 ,guenee47--,this larva
 7,fig4 #b17 commonly burrows in the    
large stalks of the potato4 ,it occurs  
also in the stalks of the tomato1 in    
those of the dahlia and aster1 and other
 garden flowers4 ,it is sometimes found 
boring through the cob of growing       
,indian corn4 ,it is particularly       
partial to the stem of the common       
cocklebur1 7,zanthium sirumarium27 and  
if it would only confine itself to such 
noxious weeds1 it might be considered   
more of a friend than an enemy4 ,it is  
yearly becoming more numerous and more  
destructive4 ,it is found over a great  
extent of country2 and is particularly  
numerous in the valley of the           
,mississippi north of the ,ohio ,river4 
,the larva of the stalk-borer moth      
leaves the stalk in which it burrowed   
about the latter part of ,july1 and     
descends a little below the surface of  
the earth1 where in about three days it 
changes into the pupa1 or chrysalis     

state4  ,footnote ,a3 ,where no         
hair-lines are given1 the insects are   
represented life-size4  ,the winged     
insect 7,fig4 #a17 which belongs to the 
same extensive group of moths 7,noctua  
family1 or owlet moths7 to which all the
 cut-worm moths appertain1 emerges from 
under ground from the end of ,august to 
the middle of ,september4 ,hence it is  
evident that some few1 at all events1 of
 the female moths must live through the 
winter1 in obscure places1 to lay eggs  
upon the plants they infest the         
following spring2 for otherwise1 as     
there is no young potato1 or other      
plants1 for them to lay eggs upon in the
 autumn1 the whole breed would die out  
in a single year4 ,this insect1 in      
sections where it is numerous1 does more
 injury to the potato crop than is      
generally supposed4   ,the              
,potato-,stalk ,weevil1 7,baridius      
trinotatus1 ,say47--,this insect is more
 particularly a southern species1       
occurring abundantly in the ,middle     

,states1 and in the southern parts of   
,missouri1 ,illinois1 and ,indiana4 ,it 
appears to be totally unknown in        
,new-,england4  ,the female of this     
beetle deposits a single egg in an      
oblong slit1 about one eighth of an inch
 long1 which it has previously formed   
with its beak in the stalk of the       
potato4 ,the larva subsequently hatches 
out1 and bores into the heart of the    
stalk1 always proceeding downward toward
 the root4 ,when full grown1 it is a    
little more than one fourth of an inch  
in length1 and is a soft1 whitish1      
legless grub1 with a scaly head4 ,hence 
it can always be readily distinguished  
from the larva of the stalk-borer1 which
 has invariably sixteen legs1 no matter 
how small it may be4 ,unlike this last  
insect1 it becomes a pupa in the        
interior of the potato-stalk which it   
inhabits3 and it comes out in the beetle
 state about the last of ,august or     
beginning of ,september4  ,the stalk    
inhabited by the larva wilts and dies4  

,the perfect beetle1 like many other    
snout-beetles1 must of course live      
through the winter1 to reproduce its    
species the following spring4 ,in       
,southern ,pennsylvania1 some years1    
nearly every stalk of extensive fields  
is infested by this insect1 causing the 
premature decay of the vines1 and giving
 them the appearance of having been     
scalded4 ,in some districts of          
,illinois1 the potato crop has1 in some 
seasons1 been utterly ruined by this    
snout-beetle1 many vines having a dozen 
larv in them4 ,this insect attacks no   
plant but the potato4   ,the            
,potato-,worm1 7,sphinx #e-maculata1    
,haworth47--,this well-known insect1 the
 larva of which 7,fig4 #c17 is usually  
called the potato-worm1 is more common  
on the closely allied tomato1 the leaves
 of which it often clears off very      
completely in particular spots in a     
single night4 ,when full-fed1 which is  
usually about the last of ,august1 the  
potato-worm burrows under the ground1   

and shortly afterward transforms into   
the pupa state1 7,fig4 #e47 ,the pupa is
 often dug up in the spring from the    
ground where tomatoes or potatoes were  
grown in the preceding season1 and most 
persons that meet with it suppose that  
the singular jug-handled appendage at   
one end of it is its tail4 ,in reality1 
however1 it is the tongue-case1 and     
contains the long1 pliable tongue which 
the future moth will employ in lapping  
the nectar of flowers4 ,the moth itself 
7,fig4 #d7 was formerly confounded with 
the tobacco-worm moth1 7,sphinx         
,carolina1 ,linnus17 which it very      
closely resembles1 having the same      
series of orange-colored spots on each  
side of the abdomen4  ,the gray and     
black markings1 however1 of the wings   
differ perceptibly in the two species2  
and in the tobacco-worm moth there is   
always a more or less faint white spat1 
or a dot1 near the centre of the front  
wing1 which is never met with in the    
other species4 ,the potato-worm often   

feeds on the leaves of the tobacco plant
 in the ,northern ,states4 ,in the      
,southern ,states1 in ,mexico and the   
,west-,indies1 the true potato-worm is  
unknown1 and it is the tobacco-worm that
 the tobacco-grower has to fight4 ,the  
potato-worm1 however1 is never known to 
injure the potato crop to any serious   
extent4   ,the ,striped                 
,blister-,beetle1 7,lytta vittata1      
,fabr47 ,this insect 7,fig4 #f7 is      
almost exclusively a southern species1  
occurring in some years very abundantly 
on the potato-vines in ,southern        
,illinois1 and also in ,missouri1 and   
according to ,dr4 ,harris1 it is        
occasionally found even in              
,new-,england4 ,in some specimens the   
broad outer black stripe on the         
wing-cases is divided lengthwise by a   
slender yellow line1 so that1 instead of
 two1 there are three black stripes on  
each wing-case2 and often in the same   
field may be noticed all the            
intermediate grades2 thus proving that  

the four-striped individuals do not form
 a distinct species1 as was supposed by 
the ,european entomologist ,fabricius1  
but are mere varieties of the same      
species to which the sixth-striped      
individual appertains4  ,the striped    
blister-beetle lives under ground and   
feeds upon various roots during the     
larva state1 and emerges to attack the  
foliage of the potato only when it has  
passed into the perfect or beetle state4
  ,this insect1 in common with our other
 blister-beetles1 has the same          
properties as the imported ,spanish fly1
 and any of them will raise just as good
 a blister as that does1 and are equally
 poisonous when taken internally in     
large doses4 ,where the striped         
blister-beetle is numerous1 it is a     
great pest and very destructive to the  
potato crop4 ,it eats the leaves so full
 of holes that the plant finally dies   
from loss of sap and the want of        
sufficient leaves to elaborate its      
juices4 ,in some places they are driven 

off the plants 7with bushes7 on a pile  
of hay or straw1 and burned4 ,some have 
been successful in ridding their fields 
of them by placing straw or hay between 
the rows of potatoes1 and then setting  
it on fire4 ,the insects1 it is said1 by
 this means are nearly all destroyed1   
and the straw burning very quickly1 does
 not injure the vines4   ,the ,ash-,gray
 ,blister-,beetle1 7,lytta cinera1      
,fabr47--,this species 7,fig4 #g1 male7 
is the one commonly found in the more   
northerly parts of the ,northern        
,states1 where it usually takes the     
place of the striped blister-beetle     
before mentioned4 ,it is of a uniform   
ash-gray color4 ,it attacks not only the
 potato-vines but also the honey        
locusts1 and especially the ,windsor    
bean4 ,in particular years it has been  
known1 in conjunction with the rose-bug1
 7,macrodactylus subspinosus1 ,linn417  
to swarm upon every apple-tree in some  
orchards in ,illinois1 not only eating  
the foliage1 but gnawing into the young 

apples4  ,this beetle does considerable 
damage to the potato crop1 especially in
 the ,north-,western ,states4 ,like the 
other members of the 7,lytta7 family1 it
 lives under ground while in the larva  
state1 and is troublesome only when in  
the perfect or winged state4   ,the     
,black-,rat ,blister-,beetle1 7,lytta   
murina1 ,le ,conte47--,this species     
7,fig4 #h17 is entirely black4 ,there is
 a very similar species1 the black      
blister-beetle1 7,lytta atrata1 ,fabr417
 from which the black-rat blister-beetle
 is distinguishable only by having four 
raised lines placed lengthwise upon each
 wing-case1 and by the two first joints 
of the antenn being greatly dilated and 
lengthened in the males1 of the lath    
species4 ,it is asserted by some authors
 that the black blister-beetle is       
injurious to the potato2 but ,i can not 
see how it could do much damage to that 
crop1 as the perfect insect does not    
appear until late in ,august1 when the  
potato crop is nearly out of its reach4 

,not so1 however1 with the black-rat    
blister-beetle1 which is on hand ready  
for business early in the season4 ,this 
insect does considerable damage to the  
potato in ,iowa1 and neighboring        
,states2 it is also found1 though in not
 so great numbers1 throughout the whole 
of the ,northern ,states4   ,the        
,margined ,blister-,beetle1 7,lytta     
marginata1 ,fabr47--,this species 7,fig4
 #i7 maybe at once recognized by its    
general black color1 and the ash-gray   
edging to its wing-cases4 ,it usually   
feeds on certain wild plants1 but does  
not object to a diet of potato-leaves4  
,though found over a large extent of    
country1 it seldom appears in numbers   
large enough to damage the potato crop  
materially4 ,like other blister-beetles1
 it goes under ground to pass into the  
pupa state1 and attacks the potato only 
when it is in the perfect or winged     
state4   ,the ,three-,lined             
,leaf-,beetle1 7,lema trilineata1       
,olivier47 ,the larva of the three-lined

 leaf-beetle may be distinguished from  
all other insects which prey upon the   
potato by its habit of covering itself  
with its own excrement4 ,in ,figure #aj1
 a1 this larva is shown in profile1 both
 full and half grown1 covered with the  
soft1 greenish excrementitious matter   
which from time to time it discharges4  
,figure #aj1 c1 gives a somewhat        
magnified view of the pupa1 and ,figure 
#aj1 b1 shows the last few joints of the
 abdomen of the larva1 magnified and    
viewed from above4 ,the vent of the     
larva1 as will be seen from this last   
figure1 is situated on the upper surface
 of the last joint1 so that its         
excrement naturally falls upon its back1
 and by successive discharges is crowded
 forward toward its head1 till the whole
 upper surface is covered with it4      
,there are several other larva1 feeding 
upon other plants1 which wear cloaks of 
this strange material4  ,many authors   
suppose that the object of the larva in 
all these cases is to protect itself    

from the heat of the sun4 ,in all       
probability the real aim of nature in   
the case of all these larv is to defend 
them from the attacks of birds and of   
cannibal and parasitic insects4  ,there 
are two broods of this insect every     
year4 ,the first brood of larv may be   
found on the potato-vine toward the     
latter end of ,june1 and the second in  
,august4  ,the first brood stays under  
ground about a fortnight before it      
emerges in the perfect beetle state1 and
 the second brood stays under ground all
 winter1 and only emerges at the        
beginning of the following ,june4  ,the 
perfect beetle 7,fig4 #aa7 is of a pale 
yellow color1 with three black stripes  
on its back1 and bears a strong         
resemblance to the cucumber-bug1        
7,diabrotica vittata1 ,fabr4 ,fig4 #ab47
  ,from this last species1 however1 it  
may be distinguished by its somewhat    
larger size1 and by the remarkable      
pinching-in of the thorax1 so as to make
 quite a lady-like waist there1 or what 

naturalists call a constriction4 ,the   
female1 after coupling1 lays her yellow 
eggs 7,fig4 #aj1;d7 on the under surface
 of the leaves of the potato plant4 ,the
 larv hatching1 when full grown descend 
into the ground1 where they transform to
 pup 7,fig4 #aj1 c7 within a small oval 
chamber1 from which in time the perfect 
beetle emerges4  ,this insect in certain
 seasons is a great pest in the ,eastern
 and ,middle ,states1 but has never yet 
occurred in the ,mississippi ,valley in 
such numbers as to be materially        
injurious4  ,the ,cucumber ,flea        
,beetle1 7,haltica cucumeris1 ,harris47 
,this nimble minute beetle 7,fig4 #ac7  
belongs to the flea-beetles1 7,haltica  
family17 the same sub-group of the      
leaf-beetles 7,phytophaga7 to which also
 appertains the notorious steel-blue    
flea-beetle 7,haltica chalybea1         
,illiger7 that is such a pest to the    
vineyardist4 ,like all the rest of the  
flea-beetles1 it has its hind thighs    
greatly enlarged1 which enables it to   

jump with much agility4 ,it is not      
peculiar to the potato1 but infests a   
great variety of plants1 including the  
cucumber1 from which it derives its     
name4 ,it eats minute round holes in the
 leaf of the plant it infests1 but does 
not always penetrate entirely through   
it4  ,the larva feeds internally upon   
the substance of the leaf1 and goes     
under ground to assume the pupa state4  
,it passes through all its stages in    
about a month1 and there are two or     
three broods of them in the course of   
the same season4 ,this is emphatically  
the greatest insect pest that the       
potato-grower has to contend with in    
,pennsylvania4 ,it abounds throughout   
most of the ,northern1 ,middle1 and     
,western ,states4 ,large fields of      
potatoes can any summer be seen in the  
,middle ,states much injured by this    
minute insect1 every leaf apparently    
completely riddled with minute round    
holes1 and the stalks and leaves        
appearing yellow and seared4 ,plaster   

frequently and bountifully applied is   
sure to prevent the attacks of this     
insect1 or to disperse it after it has  
commenced operations4   ,the ,colorado  
,potato-,bug1 7,doryphora #aj--lineata1 
,say47--,this insect1 which1 according  
to ,dr4 ,walsh1 has in the ,north-,west 
alone damaged the potato crop to the    
amount of one million seven hundred and 
fifty thousand dollars1 came originally 
from the ,rocky ,mountains1 where it was
 found forty-five years ago1 feeding on 
a wild species of potato peculiar to    
that region1 7,solanum rostratum1       
,dunal47 ,when civilization marched up  
the ,rocky ,mountains1 and potatoes     
began to be grown in that region1 this  
highly improved pest acquired the habit 
of feeding upon the cultivated potato4  
,it went from potato-patch to           
potato-patch1 moving east-ward at the   
rate of about sixty miles a year1 and is
 now firmly established over all the    
country extending from ,indiana to its  
old feeding-grounds in the ,rocky       

,mountains4 ,in about twelve years it   
will have reached the ,atlantic coast4  
,there is another very closely allied   
species1 known as the ,bogus ,colorado  
potato-bug1 7coryphora juncta1 ,germor17
 which has existed throughout a great   
part of the ,united ,states from time   
immemorial4 ,this latter insect1        
however1 feeds almost exclusively on the
 horse-nettle1 7,solanum carolinense1   
,linn417 and is never known to injure   
the potato4 ,both insects are figured1  
so that one need not be mistaken for the
 other4  ,figure #ad1 b1 b1 b1 gives a  
view of the larva of the true ,colorado 
potato-bug1 in various positions and    
stages of its existence4 ,figure #ae1 b1
 b1 of that of the bogus ,colorado      
potato-bug4 ,it will be seen at once    
that the head of the former is black1   
and the first joint behind the head is  
pale and edged with black behind only2  
that there is a double row of black     
spots along the side of the body2 and   
that the legs are black4 ,in the other  

larva1 7,fig4 #ae1 b17 on the contrary1 
the head is of a pale color1 the first  
joint behind the head is tinged with    
dusk and edged all round with black2    
there is but a single row of spots along
 the side of the body1 and the legs are 
pale4  ,figure #ad1 d1 d1 exhibits the  
true ,colorado potato-bug2 ,figure #ae1 
the bogus ,colorado potato-bug2 each of 
its natural size4 ,figure #ad1 e1 shows 
the left wing-case enlarged1 and ,figure
 #ae1 e1 an enlarged leg of the latter4 
,on a close inspection1 it will be      
perceived that in the former 7,fig4 #ad1
 e7 the boundary of each dark stripe on 
the wing-cases toward the middle is     
studded with confused and irregular     
punctures1 partly inside and partly     
outside the edge of the dark stripe2    
that it is the third and fourth dark    
stripes1 counting from the outside1 that
 are united behind1 and that both the   
knees and feet are black4  ,in ,figure  
#ae1 d1 on the contrary1 it is the      
second and third stripes--not the third 

and fourth--counting from the outside1  
that are united behind1 and the leg is  
entirely pale1 except a black spot on   
the middle of the front of the thigh4   
,the eggs 7,fig4 #ad1 a1 a1 and ,fig4   
#ae1 d1 d7 are yellow1 and are always   
laid on the under side of the leaf in   
patches of from twenty to thirty2 those 
of the bogus are of a lighter color4    
,each female of the true ,colorado      
potato-bug lays1 according to ,dr4      
,schirmer1 about seven hundred eggs4 ,in
 about six days the eggs hatch into     
larv1 which feed on the foliage of the  
potato plant about seventeen days2 they 
then descend to the ground1 where they  
change into pup at the surface of the   
earth4 ,the perfect beetle appears about
 ten to fourteen days after the pupa is 
formed1 begins to pair in about seven   
days1 and on the fourteenth day begins  
to deposit her eggs4 ,there are three   
broods of this insect every year4       
,neither geese1 ducks1 turkeys1 nor     
barn-yard fowl will touch the larva of  

the ,colorado potato-bug when it is     
offered to them1 and there are numerous 
authentic cases on record where persons 
who have scalded to death quantities of 
these larv1 and inhaled the fumes of    
their bodies1 have been taken seriously 
ill1 and even been confined to their    
beds for many days in consequence4 ,it  
is also reported to have produced       
poisonous effects on several persons who
 handled them incautiously with naked   
hands4 ,various plans have been tried to
 destroy this persistent enemy of the   
potato plant4 ,powdered hellebore is    
said to have been used with effect as a 
means of destroying the pest4 ,it should
 be dusted on and under the foliage when
 the plant is wet with dew4 ,hellebore1 
however1 is a dangerous remedy on       
account of its poisonous qualities4 ,a  
mixture of one part salt1 ten parts     
soap1 and twenty parts water1 applied to
 every part of the plants with a        
syringe1 is quite effectual4 ,several   
cannibal and one parasitic insect are   

known to prey upon the larva of the     
,colorado potato-bug1 and the eggs in   
vast numbers are eaten by several       
species of lady-birds and their larva4  
,,general ,,remarks ,,on ,,insects4     
,the time is not far distant when the   
,american farmer will be obliged to put 
forth greater efforts to destroy noxious
 insects than he has hitherto4 ,it is a 
well-known fact that noxious insects are
 increasing in a rapid rate throughout  
every part of our land4 ,the country is 
becoming so buggy that eternal vigilance
 is the price of every thing produced   
from the soil4  ,close observers        
calculate that more fruits of various   
kinds and varieties are annually        
destroyed or rendered worthless by      
insects than are gathered and used by   
man4 ,the cotton-worm1 the wheat-midge1 
the canker-worms1 the potato-bugs1 are  
each every year increasing in numbers   
and destructiveness4  ,the curculio     
alone destroys millions of dollars'     
worth of fruit annually4  ,it is a safe 

estimate1 all things considered1 that1  
if noxious insects of all descriptions  
could at once be annihilated throughout 
our country1 and mildews of various     
classes be effectually held in check1   
the cost of living to our people would1 
in-a short time1 be reduced to one third
 of its present amount4 ,it is          
disheartening to see what a vast amount 
of grains1 fruits1 and vegetables is    
annually eaten up by the larv1 or       
appropriated by the perfect insects of  
various classes1 merely for the sake of 
propagating their abominable species4   
,yet1 in view of all the devastation1   
but feeble effort is made to abate the  
evil4 ,birds1 many species of which     
nature seemingly designed on purpose to 
keep insects in check1 are wantonly shot
 by lazy boys and indolent men1 who     
range the fields and forests1 killing   
all1 from the humming-bird to the crow4 
,legislative enactments made expressly  
to protect the insectivorous songsters  
are every day violated with impunity4   

,one man plants an orchard and does all 
he can to destroy noxious insects2      
another man near him also has an        
orchard1 but his orchard serves no      
purpose but to propagate curculios1     
canker-worms1 bark-lice1 tent           
caterpillars1 codling moths1 etc41 for  
his neighbors1 and1 as a matter of      
course1 the whole neighborhood swarms   
with noxious insects4 ,if all           
cultivators would act in concert and    
with a will1 insects might be reduced in
 numbers very rapidly4 ,most moths of   
night-flying insects are attracted to   
and destroyed by small bonfires kindled 
in still evenings during the summer     
months4  ,bottles half-filled with      
sweetened water1 hung here and there1   
will trap countless bugs4 ,strong       
soap-suds applied immediately after they
 hatch is a sure remedy for plant lice4 
,molasses and water1 to which a little  
arsenic has been added1 placed in       
shallow dishes among the vines1 is good 
medicine for potato-bugs1 and all bugs  

in general4 ,a lighted lamp placed in   
the centre of a common milk-pan1 partly 
filled with water1 the whole elevated a 
few feet from the ground1 will1 on a    
still evening1 attract and destroy the  
wheat-midge and similar insects in great
 numbers4 ,the calculations of the      
curculio and codling moth are brought to
 naught by turning hogs into the orchard
 to eat the stung fruit as it falls1 and
 the larva that depastures upon the     
leaves of the current and gooseberry is 
destroyed by syringing the plants with a
 mixture of soap1 salt1 and water4      
,,value ,,of ,,the ,,potato ,,as        
,,cattle ,,food4  ,the constituents of  
the potato are according to different   
authorities1 as follows3     ,water     
#ge4b    ,casein                 #a4d   
,starch                #ae4e            
,dextrine               #j4d    ,sugar  
#c4b    ,fat                    #j4b    
,fibre                  #c4b    ,mineral
 matter         #j4i       ,or          
economically3    ,water                 

#ge4b    ,flesh-formers          #a4d   
,fat-formers           #ah4i            
,accessories            #c4f    ,mineral
 matter         #j4i  ,of the high value
 of potatoes1 when used in connection   
with other food1 there is not a shadow  
of doubt4 ,all experimenters and        
observers in the economy of food agree  
in saying that they are of the highest  
utility2 but they must be used with     
other food whose constituents are       
different from those of the root4  ,the 
analysis shows that potatoes surpass in 
the fat-producing principles the        
nutritious or flesh-forming in such     
proportions that they could not alone   
sustain the composition of the blood2   
for an animal fed alone on these tubers 
would be obliged to consume such        
quantities to provide the blood with the
 requisite proportion of albumen that1  
even if the process of digestion were   
not discontinued1 there would be a      
superabundance of fat accumulated beyond
 the power of the oxygen to consume1    

which would successively absorb from the
 albuminous substance a part of its     
vital elements1 and thus a check would  
be caused in the endless change of      
matter in the tissues in the nutritive  
and regressive transformations4         
,potatoes1 then1 to be of most value as 
food for cattle1 should be fed in       
connection with grain1 or with other    
roots in which the flesh-forming element
 predominates4 ,there seems to be no    
doubt that the tubers are of most value 
when cooked1 although some authors      
affirm to the contrary4 ,it seems       
possible to prove this on philosophical 
principles2 for it is well known that   
the starch contained in the potato is   
incapable of affording nourishment until
 the containing globules are broken1 and
 one of the most efficient means of     
doing this seems to be by heat4         
,boussingault1 in speaking of the       
economy of cooking potatoes1 says1 ,the 
potato is frequently steamed or boiled  
first2 yet ,i can say positively that   

horned cattle do extremely well upon raw
 potatoes1 and at ,bechelbrunn our cows 
never have them otherwise than raw4     
,they are never boiled1 save for horses 
and hogs4 ,the best mode of dealing with
 them is to steam them2 they need never 
be so thoroughly boiled as when they are
 to serve for the food of man4 ,the     
steamed or boiled potatoes are crushed  
between two rollers1 or simply broken   
with a wooden spade1 and mixed with cut 
hay or straw or chaff1 before being     
served out4 ,it may not be unnecessary  
to observe that by steaming potatoes    
lose no weight2 hence we conclude that  
the nutritive equivalent for the boiled 
is the same as that of the raw tuber4   
,nevertheless1 it is possible that the  
amylaceous principle is rendered more   
easily assimilable by boiling1 and that 
by this means the tubers actually become
 more nutritious4 ,some have proposed to
 roast potatoes in the oven1 and there  
can be little question that heated in   
this way they answer admirably for      

fattening hogs1 and even oxen4 ,done in 
the oven1 potatoes may be brought to a  
state in which they may perfectly supply
 the place of corn in feeding horses and
 other cattle4  ,the apparent           
contradiction in the remarks will be    
observed2 but the evident leaning in    
favor of cooked potatoes shows that     
,boussingault1 although paying some     
attention to the theory that cooked food
 is not generally attended with the same
 benefit to ruminating as to other      
animals1 was evidently almost convinced 
that those which contained an abundance 
of starch in their constituents must be 
rendered more nutritious when exposed to
 the action of heat4  ,potatoes fed in a
 raw state to stock are laxative in     
their effects1 and are often given to   
horses as a medicine in cases of        
hidebound with decided benefit4 ,bots1  
which have been known to live           
twenty-four hours immersed in spirits of
 turpentine1 die almost instantly when  
placed in potato-juice2 hence a common  

practice with horsemen1 where bots are  
suspected1 is to first administer milk  
and molasses to decoy the parasites from
 the coating of the stomach1 and then   
drench the animal with the expressed    
juice of potatoes4 ,a decoction made by 
boiling the parings of potatoes in a    
small quantity of water is often used as
 a wash to kill vermin on cattle4 ,raw  
potatoes1 fed occasionally and in small 
quantities1 are a good tonic for stock  
of any kind which is kept principally on
 hay2 but all experiments show that when
 the potato is used for fattening       
purposes1 the tubers should in some way 
be cooked1 that the animal to which they
 are fed may derive from them the       
greatest possible amount of nutriment4  
,repeated experiments demonstrate the   
fact that horned cattle or hogs lay on  
as much fat from the consumption of two 
thirds of a given quantity of potatoes  
properly cooked as they will by eating  
the entire quantity in a raw state4 ,in 
point of nutriment as cattle-food1 two  

pounds of potatoes are considered       
equivalent to one pound of hay4         
,,how ,,to ,,cook ,,the ,,potato4       
,,furnished ,,by  ,,prof4 ,,pierre      
,,blot1 ,,of ,,brooklyn4   ,at the      
suggestion of a number of friends1 ,i   
addressed the following note to         
,professor ,blot1 which1 with his reply1
 is appended3                           
,,professor ,,pierre ,,blot3            
,,new-,,york1 ,feb4 #ae1 #ahgj4  ,,dear 
,,sir3 ,in connection with a ,prize     
,essay on the cultivation of the potato1
 ,i wish to publish an article on       
,,cooking ,,the ,,potato1 to be taken   
from your ,hand-,book of ,practical     
,cookery4 ,i write this note to ask     
whether ,i can do this with your entire 
approval4 ,hoping that such article may 
aid our ,american housekeepers to       
prepare the potato for the table in a   
more palatable and wholesome manner1 ,i 
remain yours very truly1                
,w4 ,t4 ,,wylie4                        
,,brooklyn1 ,,central ,,kitchen1 ,feb4  

#ae1 #ahgj4    ,,rev4 ,w4 ,t4 ,,wylie3  
,,dear ,,sir3 ,you are authorized1 with 
the greatest pleasure4 ,p4 ,,blot4  ,in 
accordance with the above authority1 the
 following selections have been made    
from the book named3  ,to ,select4--,as 
a general rule1 the smaller the eye the 
better the potatoes4 ,by cutting off a  
piece from the larger end1 you ascertain
 if they are sound2 they must be white1 
reddish1 bluish1 etc41 according to the 
species4 ,if spotted1 they are not      
sound1 and therefore very inferior4     
,there are several kinds1 and all of    
them are good when sound or coming from 
a proper soil4 ,use the kind you prefer1
 or those that are better fit for the   
way they are intended to be served4  ,to
 ,boil4--,being naturally watery1       
potatoes should never be cooked by      
boiling except when wanted very white1  
as for croquettes4 ,when boiled whole1  
put them of an even size as much as     
possible1 in order to cook them evenly4 
,they are better1 more mealy1 when      

steamed or baked2 but those who have no 
steamer must1 of course1 boil them4     
,cover them with cold water1 set on the 
fire and boil till done1 then pour off  
all the water1 put the pan back on a    
slow fire for five minutes and well     
covered2 then use the potatoes4  ,to    
,steam4--,place them above a kettle of  
boiling water1 in a kind of drainer made
 for that purpose1 and adapted to the   
kettle4 ,the drainer must be covered    
tight4 ,they cook as fast as by boiling1
 the degree of heat being the same4     
,when steamed the skin is very easily   
removed4  ,to ,prepare4--,if they are to
 be boiled1 or steamed1 or baked1 it is 
only necessary to wash them4 ,if wanted 
peeled1 as for frying1 etc41 then       
commence by cutting off the germs or    
eyes2 if young and tender1 take the skin
 off with a scrubbing-brush1 and drop   
immediately in cold water to keep them  
white2 if old1 scrape the skin off with 
a knife1 for the part immediately under 
the skin contains more nutriment than   

the middle1 and drop in cold water also4
 ,if wanted cut1 either in dice1 or like
 carpels of oranges1 or any other way1  
cut them above a bowl of cold water1 so 
that they drop into it2 for if kept     
exposed to the air1 they turn reddish   
and lose their nutritive qualities4  ,a 
l',allemande4--,steam1 peel1 and slice  
the potatoes4 ,cut some bread in thin   
slices1 and fry bread and potatoes with 
a little butter1 and turn the whole in a
 bowl1 dust well with sugar1 pour a     
little milk all over1 and bake for about
 fifteen minutes2 serve warm4  ,a       
l',anglaise4--,steam or boil about a    
quart of potatoes1 and then peel and    
slice them4 ,put two ounces of butter in
 a frying-pan on the fire1 and put the  
potatoes in when melted1 toss them for  
about ten minutes1 add salt1 pepper1 a  
little grated nutmeg1 and serve hot4    
,broiled4--,steam1 peel1 and slice the  
potatoes4 ,lay the slices on a gridiron1
 and place it over a rather slow fire2  
have melted butter1 and spread some over

 the slices of potatoes with a brush2 as
 soon as the under part is broiled1 turn
 each slice over and spread butter over 
the other side4 ,when done1 dish1 salt1 
and serve them hot4 ,a little butter may
 be added when dished1 according to     
taste4  ,fried4--,to be fried1 the      
potatoes are cut either with a vegetable
 spoon1 in fillets1 in slices1 with a   
scalloped knife1 or with an ordinary    
one1 or cut in pieces like carpels of   
oranges1 or even in dice4 ,when cut1    
drain and wipe them dry4 ,this must be  
done quickly1 so as not to allow the    
potatoes to turn reddish4 ,have a coarse
 towel ready1 then turn the potatoes    
into a colander1 and immediately turn   
them in the towel1 shake them a little1 
and quickly drop them in hot fat4 ,when 
done1 turn them into a colander1        
sprinkle salt on them1 and serve hot4   
,bear in mind that fried potatoes must  
be eaten as hot as possible4 ,fry only  
one size at a time1 as it takes three   
times as long to fry them when cut in   

pieces as when sliced or cut in fillets4
  ,to fry them light or swelled4--,when 
fried1 turn into the colander1 and have 
the fat over a brisk fire2 leave the    
potatoes in the colander only about half
 a minute1 then put them back in the    
very hot fat1 stir for about one minute1
 and put them again in the colander1    
salt them1 and serve hot4 ,if the fat is
 very hot1 when dropped into it for the 
second time they will certainly swell2  
there is no other way known to do it4   
,it is as easily done as it is simple4  
,potatoes cut in fillets and fried are  
sometimes called  la ,parisienne2 when  
cut in slices or with a vegetable spoon1
 they are called  la franaise4          
,potatoes cut with a vegetable spoon and
 fried1 make a good as well as a sightly
 decoration for a dish of meat or of    
fish4 ,they may be fried in oil also1   
but it is more expensive than in fat4   
,they may be fried in butter also1 but  
it is still more expensive than oil1 and
 is not better than fat2 no matter what 

kind of fat is used1 be it lard1 beef   
suet1 or skimmings of sauces and gravy1 
it can not be tasted4                   
,lyonnaise4--,potatoes ,lyonnaise are   
prepared according to taste1 that is1 as
 much onion as liked is used1 either in 
slices or chopped4 ,if you have not any 
cold potatoes1 steam or boil some1 let  
them cool1 and peel and slice them4 ,for
 about a quart of potatoes1 put two     
ounces of butter in a frying-pan on the 
fire1 and when melted put as much onion 
as you please1 either sliced or chopped1
 into the pan1 and fry it till about    
half done1 when add the potatoes and    
again two ounces of butter2 salt1       
pepper1 and stir and toss gently till   
the potatoes are all fried of a fine1   
light-brown color4 ,it may require more 
butter1 as no vegetable absorbs more    
than potatoes4  ,mashed4--,peel and     
quarter about three pints of potatoes1  
as directed2 put them in a saucepan with
 more water than is necessary to cover  
them1 and a little salt2 set on the fire

 and boil gently till done1 drain1 put  
them back in the saucepan1 mash them    
well and mix them with two ounces of    
butter1 two yolks of eggs1 salt1 pepper1
 and milk enough to make them of a      
proper thickness4 ,set on the fire for  
two or three minutes1 stirring the      
while1 and serve warm4 ,when on the     
dish1 smooth them with the back of a    
knife or scallop them1 according to     
fancy4  ,mashed and ,baked4--,put two   
ounces of butter in a stewpan and set it
 on the fire2 when hot1 add a           
tea-spoonful of parsley chopped fine1   
and a little salt2 five minutes after1  
put in it a quart of potatoes1 prepared1
 cooked1 peeled1 and mashed1 as         
directed2 then pour on the whole1 little
 by little1 stirring continually with a 
wooden spoon1 a pint of good milk2 and  
when the whole is well mixed1 and       
becoming rather thick1 take from the    
fire1 place on the dish1 then set in a  
brisk oven for five minutes1 and serve4 
,sautees4--,take a quart of young and   

tender potatoes1 peel them with a brush1
 and cut in slices4 ,put two ounces of  
butter in a frying-pan on a quick fire2 
when hot1 put the potatoes in1 and fry  
them till of a golden color2 place them 
on a dish without any butter1 sprinkle  
chopped parsley and salt on1 and serve4 
,they may also be served without        
parsley1 according to taste4            
,soufflees4--,steam a quart of potatoes1
 then peel and mash them in a saucepan  
and mix an ounce of butter with them2   
set on the fire1 pour into it1 little by
 little1 stirring the while1 about half 
a pint of milk1 stir a little longer    
after the milk is in and until they are 
turning rather thick2 dish the potatoes1
 smooth or scallop them with the back of
 a knife1 and put them in a quick oven  
till of a proper color1 and serve4  ,in 
,cakes4--,prepare and cook by steam a   
quart and a half of potatoes1 peel and  
mash them2 mix with them the yolks of   
five eggs1 half a lemon-rind grated1 and
 four ounces of fine white sugar4 ,put  

four ounces of butter in a stewpan and  
set it on the fire2 when melted1 put the
 mixture in1 stirring it with a wooden  
spoon continually2 as soon as it is in  
the stewpan1 add the whites of the five 
eggs1 well beaten2 leave on the fire    
only the time necessary to mix the whole
 well together1 and take off2 when      
nearly cold1 add1 if handy1 and while   
stirring1 a few drops of orange-flower  
water2 it gives a very good flavor2 then
 put the whole in a tin mould greased a 
little with butter2 place in a quick    
oven for about thirty-five minutes1 and 
serve4  ,with ,butter1 or ,english      
,fashion4--,put water on the fire with  
considerable salt in it2 at the first   
boil1 drop a quart of washed potatoes in
 and boil till done1 when take off1     
peel1 and put them whole in a saucepan1 
with butter1 salt1 pepper1 and a little 
nutmeg2 set on a rather slow fire1      
stirring gently now and then till they  
have absorbed all the butter4 ,serve    
warm4 ,they absorb a great deal of      

butter4  ,with ,bacon or ,salt          
,pork4--,peel and quarter about a quart 
of potatoes4 ,set a saucepan on the fire
 with about four ounces of fat salt pork
 cut in dice in it4 ,when fried1 put the
 potatoes in4 ,season with a bunch of   
seasonings composed of two sprigs of    
parsley1 one of thyme1 and a bay-leaf2  
salt and pepper to taste1 and about half
 a pint of broth or water4 ,boil gently 
till cooked1 remove the bunch of        
seasonings2 skim off the fat1 if any1   
and serve warm4 ,it is served at        
breakfast1 as well as entremets for     
dinner4  ,with ,cream or ,milk4--,peel  
and mash a quart of potatoes1 when      
prepared and cooked4 ,put two ounces of 
butter in a stewpan and set it on a good
 fire2 when melted1 sprinkle in it a    
tea-spoonful of flour1 same of chopped  
parsley1 a pinch of grated nutmeg1 and  
salt2 stir with a wooden spoon five     
minutes2 then add the potatoes1 and half
 a pint of milk or cream2 keep stirring 
ten minutes longer1 take from the fire1 

sprinkle in them half a table-spoonful  
of sugar1 and serve as warm as possible4
  ,with ,white ,sauce4--,clean1 wash1   
and throw a quart of potatoes in boiling
 water1 with a sprig of thyme1 two      
onions1 a bay-leaf1 two sprigs of sweet 
basil1 two cloves1 salt1 and pepper2    
when cooked1 take the potatoes out      
carefully1 peel and cut them in two1    
place them on a warm dish1 pour on them 
a white sauce1 and serve warm4     ,,the
 ,,potato3  ,,illustrations ,,and       
,,descriptions4   ,we propose to add a  
few pages of illustrations of the new   
varieties1 together with descriptions of
 the same4 ,a number of these were given
 in the pamphlet issued last year1 and  
are reproduced from that4 ,in case a new
 edition is called for1 it is likely    
that a number of additional cuts will be
 added to it4  ,we would call attention 
to the report of a series of experiments
 which have been made on the farms      
connected with the ,agricultural        
,college of ,pennsylvania4  ,there are  

very many questions connected with the  
cultivation of the potato which can be  
answered satisfactorily only by careful 
and repeated experiments4               
,illustration3 ,excelsior4  ,seedling of
 ,early ,goodrich1 now six years old1   
and is claimed to combine more good     
qualities than any other potato4 ,d4 ,s4
 ,heffron1 of ,utica1 originated it4 ,is
 said to be productive1 early1 and of   
good keeping qualities4                 
,,massasoit4--,a new variety from       
,western ,massachusetts1 resembling the 
,harrison in appearance1 but earlier and
 of much better quality2 flesh white1   
cooks dry and mealy1 and altogether a   
superior variety2 strongly recommended  
for a general crop4 7,see next page47   
,,bellefonte1 ,february #ab1 #ahgj4     
,,rev4 ,w4 ,t4 ,,wylie3  ,,dear ,,sir3  
,i inclose an extract from the report1  
suitable1 ,i think1 for the pamphlet4   
,h4 ,n4 ,,mcallister4   ,,agricultural  
,,college ,,of ,,pennsylvania4  ,from an
 interesting and instructive report of  

the ,professor of ,agriculture to the   
,board of ,trustees of the ,agricultural
 ,college of ,pennsylvania1 for #ahfi1  
in relation to the results of           
experiments made upon the three several 
experimental farms connected with that  
institution1 we make the following      
extracts touching the ,potato1 verifying
 and illustrating some of the principles
 set forth in the above essay3          
#ast4--,varieties4  ,of upward of thirty
 different varieties experimented upon1 
the ,early ,goodrich1 ,early ,rose1 and 
,harrison are among the best and most   
prolific4  ,,like ,,weights ,,of ,,seed 
,,upon ,,equal ,,areas ,,of ,,ground4   
#b;d4--,different ,modes of ,preparing  
the ,seed4  ,,central ,,farm4--,one     
fourth of ,plot ,no4 #aa--;,early       
,goodrich--cut tubers1 yields #ejj      
pounds1 equal to #bhf bushels per acre2 
large and whole tubers1 yields #daj     
pounds1 equal to #bcd bushels per acre2 
medium-sized tubers1 yields #dai pounds1
 equal to #bci bushels per acre2 and    

small tubers1 yields #dhf pounds1 equal 
to #bgh bushels per acre4               
#c;d4--,combined ,diversity between     
,soil and ,sub-soil and ,common         
,plowing4  ,,central ,,farm4--,the #d   
plots1 ,nos4 #aa1 #af1 #aaf1 and        
#daf--soil and subsoil plowing--yields  
#fbjj pounds1 equal to #bba bushels per 
acre2 the #b plots1 ,nos4 #baf and      
#caf--;common plowing--yields #ahde     
pounds1 equal to but #aca bushels per   
acre4  #dth4--,diversity between        
,letting all ,sprouts ,grow and         
,thinning to ,three in each ,hill44     
,,eastern ,,farm4--,plot ,no4 #bjh3     
,monitors2 large and whole tubers1      
#ba-a_/b pounds2 not thinned2 ,moro     
,philips's superphosphate2 yield #aagd  
pounds1 equal to #afh bushels per acre4 
,plot ,no4 #bji3 ,monitors2 large and   
whole tubers1 #bc pounds2 thinned2 ,moro
 ,philips's superphosphate2 yield #ajdb 
pounds1 equal to #adi bushels per acre4 
,plot ,no4 #baj3 ,monitors2 large and   
whole tubers1 #ae pounds2 not thinned2  

stable manure2 yield #hfj pounds1 equal 
to #abd bushels per acre4  ,plot ,no4   
#baa3 ,monitors2 large and whole tubers1
 #ad-a_/b pounds2 thinned2 stable       
manure2 yield #hci pounds1 equal to #aai
 bushels per acre4  #eth4--,diversity   
from ,time of ,cutting the              
,seed-,potatoes44  ,plot ,no4 #bbb3     
,monitors2 cut two weeks before         
planting2 yield #ehj pounds1 equal to   
#hc bushels per acre4  ,plot #bbc3      
,monitors2 cut at time of planting2     
yield #hai pounds1 equal to #aag bushels
 per acre4  ,plot #bbj3 ,early ,shaw2   
cut two weeks before planting2 yield    
#gfd pounds1 equal to #ajj bushels per  
acre4  ,plot #bba3 ,early ,shaw2 cut at 
time of planting2 yield #ijg pounds1    
equal to #abi bushels per acre4         
,illustration3 ,massasoit4              
,illustration  ,bresee's ,peerless1 or  
,no4 #f4  ,the latest and best of all   
,mr4 ,bresee's seedlings for the main   
crop4 ,this is also a seedling of the   
,garnet ,chili1 and originated from the 

same seed-ball as the ,early ,rose2 skin
 dull white1 occasionally russeted2 eyes
 shallow1 oblong2 flesh white1 mealy2   
grows to a large size1 often weighing   
from one and a half to two pounds1 and  
enormously productive4 ,at a trial      
before a committee of the ,massachusetts
 ,horticultural ,society1 in ,september 
last1 this variety obtained more votes  
as to quality than any other of         
,bresee's seedlings4  ,,table ,,of      
,,experiments4  ,,try ,,it ,,and        
,,report ,,results4                     
lbs4    ,two pounds large-sized         
potatoes1 planted whole                 
#jj                 cut into quarters   
#jj                 cut to single eyes  
#jj                 cut to single eyes  
and planted four in a hill        #jj   
planted in drills1 fifteen inches       
between the sets1  #jj    ,two pounds   
small potatoes1 planted whole           
#jj                            cut in   
two pieces                          #jj 
,two pounds cut to single eye1 and      

worked in ridges                    #jj 
the surface kept flat                   
#jj  ,to these add such other           
experiments as may be interesting to    
you4 ,weigh the product of each         
carefully1 and report weight1 average1  
size of each lot1 and quality4          
,illustration   ,brezee's ,king of the  
,earlies4  ,raised1 in #ahfb1 by ,albert
 ,brezee1 of ,hubbardton1 ,vt41 from a  
ball of the ,garnet ,chili4 ,vines of   
medium height1 or a little less1 and    
bearing no balls2 leaves large2 tubers  
large and handsome1 roundish and        
slightly flattened2 eyes small1 and     
somewhat pinkish2 skin flesh-colored1 or
 dull pinkish white2 flesh white1 cooks 
well1 and is of the best quality for the
 table4 ,has proven thus far very hardy4
 ,the variety will not be sent out until
 the spring of #ahgj4  ,illustration    
,,the ,,early ,,mohawk ,,potato4        
,originated in ,michigan1 in #ahff1 from
 a cross of the ,peachblow and ,brick   
,eye4 ,it is of oblong1 roundish shape1 

flattened at the ends4 ,skin light pink1
 with pink blush near the eye4 ,eyes    
slightly sunken1 flesh white1 cooks dry 
and mealy1 and of superior flavor4      
,ripens from six to ten days earlier    
than the ,rose1 of uniform large size   
and but few small ones1 and perfectly   
free from ,core or ,hollow ,heart1 and a
 superior ,winter and ,spring variety4  
,illustration   ,brezee's ,prolific4    
,this variety originated with ,albert   
,brezee1 ,esq41 of ,hubbardton1 ,vt41 in
 #ahfa4 ,mr4 ,brezee was the originator 
of the ,early ,rose1 the seed producing 
both that and ,brezee's ,prolific being 
from the same seed-ball1 and both are   
seedlings of the ,garnet ,chili4  ,the  
vines of ,brezee's ,prolific are of     
medium height1 quite bushy1 and somewhat
 spreading1 and with very large leaves2 
as yet they have produced no seed-balls4
 ,tubers large1 regular in shape1 and   
very smooth1 slightly oblong1 and very  
much flattened2 skin dull white1        
inclined to be russeted2 eyes but little

 depressed and slightly pinkish2 flesh  
white1 rarely if ever hollow2 cooks     
quickly1 and is very mealy and of       
excellent quality4 ,yield very large1   
maturing three weeks later than the     
,early ,rose4         99       99       
99       99       99  ,rules ,worth     
,observing4--,an experienced cultivator 
says1 ,my experience leads me to lay    
down the following as safe rules3  ,i4  
,as early as possible1 lay your plans   
for the next season's planting1 and     
manure and work your ground accordingly1
 in advance4  ,,ii4 ,secure the best    
seed1 even if it cost you two or five   
times as much as a common and less      
valuable sort4  ,,iii4 ,always get a    
new1 improved variety1 as soon as it has
 been tested and proved4 ,remember the  
profit is mainly made by the early      
cultivators4 ,when it gets so common    
that you can buy cheap1 you will have to
 sell cheap1 too4  ,,iv4 ,buy only from 
reliable dealers1 and be sure you get   
the genuine article4  ,v4 ,,buy1 or at  

least ,,order1 if you possibly can1 in  
the fall or winter2 you thus save the   
spring rise of prices4  ,,vi4 ,liberal  
outlay for seed1 manure1 tools1 and work
 gives ten-fold the largest return in   
money1 as well as satisfaction4         
,illustration   ,,the ,,gleason4  ,also 
a seedling of #ahfj1 of the ,pink ,eye  
,rusty ,coat1 ,no4 #ae1 which it closely
 resembles4 ,when two years old1 ,mr4   
,goodrich described it thus3 ,longish1  
rusty1 coppery2 leaves and vines dark   
green2 flowers white2 a very hopeful    
sort4 ,september #bith1 #ahfc1 at       
digging time1 he added3 ,very nice2 many
 in the hill2 no disease4 ,the two      
seasons1 #ahfe and #ahff1 under ,dr4    
,gray's cultivation1 this variety       
yielded at the rate of four hundred     
bushels to the acre1 being more         
productive than the parent4 ,this       
variety gives the best satisfaction4    
,the tubers are not overgrown1 but      
numerous2 have fine-grained1 solid      
flesh1 that cooks white4 ,for winter use

 this kind is excellent4 ,it is a good  
keeper1 and has a fine1 rich flavor1    
especially when baked4  ,illustration   
,willard4  ,j4 ,j4 ,h4 ,gregory says of 
this potato3 ,the ,willard is a seedling
 from the ,early ,goodrich4 ,it proves  
to be a half early variety1 enormously  
productive1 and is a potato of good     
promise4 ,it is of a rich rose color1   
spotted and splashed with white4 ,the   
flesh is white4  ,illustration   ,,the  
,,early ,,rose4  ,it is a seedling of   
the ,garnet ,chili1 that was originated 
in #ahfa1 by ,albert ,brezee1 ,esq41 an 
intelligent farmer of ,hortonville1 ,vt4
 ,i have experimented with it for three 
years1 and have been so well pleased    
with it that ,i have purchased all ,mr4 
,brezee could spare for the last two    
years1 and have engaged the whole of his
 small crop for another year4  ,it has a
 stout1 erect stalk1 of medium height2  
large leaves2 flowers freely2 bears no  
fruit4 ,the tuber is quite smooth1      
nearly cylindrical1 varying to flattish 

at the centre1 tapering gradually toward
 each end4 ,eyes shallow1 but sharp and 
strongly marked4 ,skin thin1 tough1 of a
 dull bluish color4 ,flesh white1 solid1
 and brittle2 rarely hollow2 boils      
through quickly2 is very mealy1 and of  
the best table quality4 ,it is as       
healthy and productive as the ,early    
,goodrich1 matures about ten days       
earlier1 and is its superior for the    
table4 ,the cut is a good outline of    
this beautiful and excellent sort4  ,i  
consider it the most promising very     
early potato with which ,i am           
acquainted1 and ,i have tried nearly all
 the early sorts of the country4        
99       99       99       99       99  
,how to ,double ,your ,crop1 when you   
have ,new and ,rare ,kinds4--,in an     
ordinary hot-bed or cold frame1 put some
 six inches of good1 loose1 rich soil2  
split your potato1 and lay it cut side  
down about three inches under the       
surface4 ,when the sprouts are four or  
five inches high1 lift the potato1 slip 

off the sprouts1 and plant them4  ,you  
can then cut the tuber into single eyes1
 and plant as usual4 ,the crop from the 
sprouts will ripen two weeks before the 
others4 ,i made #dj this year by trying 
this with a handful of potatoes4 ,every 
reader is welcome to it1 and may make as
 much or more than ,i did1 if he secures
 a few pounds of the newer and costly   
but valuable kinds4                     
,w4   ,early ,goodrich4  ,a seedling of 
the ,cusco of #ahfj4 ,in #ahfb1 ,mr4    
,goodrich described it3 ,round to       
longish2 sometimes a crease at the      
insertion of the root2 white2 flowers   
bright lilac2 7produces7 many balls2    
yield large4 ,table quality is already  
very good4 ,this sort is ,no4 #a every  
way4 ,he said to me in the spring of    
#ahfd3 ,this early sort gives me more   
satisfaction than any other ,i have ever
 grown4 ,this variety ripens as early as
 the ,ashleaf ,kidney2 on rich soil     
yields from #bej to #cej bushels per    
acre2 has never shown any disease2 is   

white-fleshed1 and of superior quality4 
,the above description by ,d4 ,s4       
,heffron is fully sustained by my       
experience4  ,i noticed at dinner       
to-day1 7,nov4 #agth17 every potato in a
 large dishful had cracked its skin1 and
 from most of them the skin had peeled  
itself half off4                        
,w4         99       99       99        
99       99  ,rev4 ,w4 ,f4 ,dixon1 of   
,pine ,grove1 gives the results of his  
experience in the following note3       
,,pine ,,grove1 ,,mercer ,,co41 ,,pa41  
,september #bj1 #ahfh4  ,a year ago last
 spring1 a friend gave me three early   
,goodrich potatoes1 which ,i planted    
four eyes in a hill1 and last fall ,i   
raised over one bushel4 ,i had the      
,buckeye planted in the same lot4 ,the  
,goodrich produced about four times as  
much to the hill as the ,buckeye4       
99       99       99       99       99  
,our country may well honor the memory  
of ,rev4 ,c4 ,e4 ,goodrich1 who1 by     
persevering experiments and patient     

toil1 has produced such wonderful       
results4 ,his success should stimulate  
every farmer to make a similar line of  
experiments4  ,potato ,crop of ,new     
,york ,state4--,the total potato crop of
 the ,state of ,new ,york1 this year1 is
 about #be1jjj1jjj bushels4 ,the six    
great potato counties are ,washington1  
,rensselaer1 ,saratoga1 ,monroe1 ,st4   
,lawrence1 and ,genesee4 ,only one other
 county 7,oneida7 produces #cjj1jjj     
bushels2 three others1 #fjj1jjj2 one1   
#ejj1jjj2 six1 #djj1jjj4 ,new ,york     
county returns a crop of #agjj bushels4 
,the entire crop of the ,state1         
#be1jjj1jjj bushels1 is raised on       
#bed1djc acres of land4 ,the three      
counties in the ,state which produce the
 most potatoes join each other1 viz41   
,washington1 ,rensselaer1 and           
,saratoga--their aggregate production   
reaching within a fraction of #b1ejj1jjj
 bushels1 or more than one-eighth of the
 total product of the whole             
,state4--,new ,york ,observer4          

,,harison4  ,mr4 ,heffron gives the     
following account of this variety3 ,it  
is a brother of the ,early ,goodrich--a 
seedling of the ,cusco of #ahfj4 ,when  
two years old1 ,mr4 ,goodrich described 
it thus3 ',white1 large1 not so deep    
eyes as the parent1 nice4' ,in #ahfc1   
,mr4 ,goodrich had eleven and a half    
bushels2 and though it was a bad year   
for disease1 and this a young and tender
 seedling1 when he overhauled his       
seedlings1 ,january #bith1 #ahfd1 he    
made this entry in his book3 ,all       
perfect1 fine4  ,it has a smooth white  
skin1 white flesh1 and is the most solid
 of large potatoes1 having no hollow at 
the centre4 ,it is enormously           
productive1 yielding as well as the     
parent ,cusco1 and exceeds all others2  
its form is good1 table quality         
excellent2 keeps well2 ripens ten days  
earlier than the ,garnet ,chili1 and    
thus far is as hardy as the ,garnet     
,chili4  ,among winter sorts this potato
 must soon hold as high a place as is   

conceded to the ,early ,goodrich among  
the early sorts4  ,illustration   ,to   
,keep ,potatoes during ,winter4--,as    
soon as dry after digging1 pick up and  
handle carefully2 store in a dry1       
well-aired1 cool cellar1 free from      
frost1 either in bins raised a little   
from the bottom of the cellar1 or in    
barrels having at least two holes bored 
through the staves near the bottom1 and 
lay the top head on1 over a lath1 so as 
to exclude the light without preventing 
a free circulation of air4 ,also        
sprinkle among the potatoes about half a
 pint of recently slacked quick-lime to 
each barrel4 ,if bins are used1 cover   
them over sufficiently to exclude the   
most of the light4 ,air the cellar all  
winter1 as often as the temperature     
outside will admit of it4   ,,climax4   
,illustration  ,it has a stout1 erect   
stalk1 of full medium height1 internodes
 of medium length1 and very large       
leaves2 the tuber is above medium in    
size1 quite smooth1 in form of a short  

cylinder swelled out at the centre1     
occasionally slightly flattened1 and    
terminating rather abruptly2 eyes       
shallow1 sharp1 sometimes swelled out or
 projecting1 and always strongly        
defined2 skin medium thickness1         
considerably netted or russet1 tough1   
white2 flesh entirely white1 solid1     
heavy1 brittle1 and never hollow1 and it
 boils through quickly1 with no hard    
core at centre or stem1 is mealy1 of    
floury whiteness1 and of superior table 
quality4   ,illustration  ,early        
,prince4  ,the ,early ,prince is a      
seedling of the ,early ,york1 and was   
propagated in #ahfd4 ,it has proved to  
be from a week to ten days earlier than 
the ,early ,rose1 as far as size and    
solidity are concerned1 and from two to 
three weeks earlier in quality4         
99       99       99       99       99  
,,established ,,in #ahdb4   ,a ,good1   
,cheap1 and very ,valuable ,paper for   
,every ,man1 ,woman1 and ,child  ,,in   
,,city1 ,,village1 ,,and ,,country4     

,,the  ,,american ,,agriculturist1      
,,for ,,the  ,farm1 ,garden1 and        
,household1  ,including a ,special      
,department of ,interesting and         
,instructive ,reading for ,children and 
,youth4         99       99       99    
99       99  ,,the ,,agriculturist is a 
large periodical of forty-four quarto   
pages1 beautifully printed1 filled with 
plain1 practical1 reliable1 original    
matter1 and containing hundreds of      
beautiful and instructive ,engravings in
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performed on the ,farm1 in the ,orchard 
and ,garden1 in and around the          
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 and suggestions given in every volume  
are prepared by practical1 intelligent  
workingmen1 who know what they write    
about4  ,the ,household ,department is  
valuable to every housekeeper1 affording
 very many useful hints and directions  
calculated to lighten and facilitate    
indoor work4  ,the ,department for      

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amusement1 but also to inculcate        
knowledge and sound moral principles4   
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