The Field and Garden Vegetables of America Part 9

It is particularly adapted to hard and shallow soils; and, from its coming into use much earlier than any other kind, very desirable. In flavor, it is mild and pleasant, though less sugary than the long-rooted kinds. The flesh, when dressed, is more yellow than that of any other variety.

THE POTATO.

Solanum tuberosum.

The Potato is a native of Central or Tropical America. In its wild or natural state, as found growing on the mountains of Mexico or South America, the tubers rarely exceed an inch in diameter, and are comparatively unpalatable. During the last half-century, its cultivation within the United States has greatly increased; and it is now considered the most important of all esculent roots, and next to the cereals in value as an article of human subsistence.

_Soil._--The soils best suited to the Potato are of the dryer and lighter descriptions; pasture lands, or new land, with the turf freshly turned, producing the most abundant as well as the most certain crops.

On land of a stiff, clayey texture, or in wet soils, they are not only extremely liable to disease, but the quality is usually very inferior.

"On soils which have been long cropped and heavily manured, they rarely succeed well; and hence garden ground, in most cases, does not produce tubers of so good quality as those obtained from the fields."

_Fertilizers._--"In good garden soil, the less manure that is used, the better flavored will be the produce; and it will also be much less affected by the disease. Therefore, whilst the malady prevails, or symptoms of it still remain, it is not advisable to apply much manure.

"Amongst the fertilizers that are employed, may be enumerated, in addition to barnyard and stable manure, leaves, leaf-mould, peat-charcoal, and other carbonaceous substances, lime, gypsum, or plaster, and bone-dust.

"Wood-ashes are useful in supplying potash and other inorganic substances required by the plant; and they may be advantageously applied where the soil contains a large amount of decayed vegetable matter. The same remark will also apply to lime, which is useful in destroying slugs and other vermin, which attack the tubers. Plaster, bone-dust, and superphosphate of lime, are best for humid soils. They induce earliness; and where this is an object, as it must be so long as the disease continues, they may be applied with considerable advantage."--_Thomp._

_Propagation._--"This is almost universally from tubers; the seed being seldom sown, except for the production of new varieties. With many it is a doubtful question, whether the tubers cut, or planted whole, yield the greater return. From experiments made in the garden of the London Horticultural Society at Chiswick, it was found, on the mean of two plantations,--one made early in the season, and the other about one month later,--that the produce from cut sets exceeded that from whole tubers by nearly one ton per acre. In the latter planting, the produce from whole tubers was somewhat greater than that from single eyes: but, in the early plantation, the cut sets gave nearly two tons per acre more produce than the whole tubers; the weight of potatoes planted being deducted in every case.

"Another important consideration is, whether small tubers or large ones should be employed for making sets; for if, by using the former, an equally good crop could be obtained, a considerable saving in the expense of sets would be effected. Large tubers, however, are preferable, for the following reasons: In all plants, large buds tend to produce large shoots; and small or weak buds, the reverse. Now, the eyes of potatoes are true buds, and in small tubers they are comparatively weak: they consequently produce weak shoots, and the crop from such is inferior to that obtained from plants originating from larger tubers, furnished with stronger eyes; and this conclusion has been justified by the results of actual experiments.

"The part of the Potato employed for planting is not a matter of indifference. It was found, by an experiment made in the garden of the Horticultural Society, that sets taken from the points of the tubers, and planted early in the season, yielded at the rate of upwards of three tons per acre more produce than was obtained from employing the opposite end of the tubers. In a plantation made a month afterwards, the difference was much less, but still in favor of the point, or top end, of the Potato."--_Thomp._

With regard to the quant.i.ty of seed per acre, great diversity of opinion exists among cultivators. Much, of course, depends on the variety, as some sorts not only have more numerous eyes, but more luxuriant and stronger plants, than others. Of such varieties, a much less quant.i.ty will be required than of those of an opposite character. From a series of experiments carefully made for the purpose of ascertaining the amount of seed most profitable for an acre, it was found that from six to eight bushels, if planted in hills, answered better than more: for, when too much seed was used, there were many small tubers; and where the tubers had been divided into very small parts, or single eyes, the plants were more feeble, and the yield less in number and weight, though usually of larger size.

_Methods of Planting and Cultivation._--Potatoes are usually planted either in hills or ridges; the former method being the more common in this country. If planted in hills, they should be made from three feet to three and a half apart; the distance to be regulated by the habit of the variety under cultivation. If in ridges or drills, they may be made from two and a half to three feet apart; although some of the earlier and smaller kinds may be successfully grown at eighteen or twenty inches.

"Of sets formed by the division of an average-sized tuber into four parts, three may be allowed a hill; or, if planted in drills, the sets may be placed from seven to twelve inches asunder,--the distance to be regulated by the habit or size of the plant. On light, warm land, the sets should be covered about four inches in depth; but in wet, cold soil, three inches will be sufficient.

"As soon as the plants are fairly above the surface, hoeing and surface-stirring should be commenced. The earth should gradually be drawn about the hills, or along the ridges, at each successive hoeing, and every encouragement given to the side-roots to extend themselves: for nearly at their extremities the tubers are formed; so that deeply stirring the ground between the hills or ridges tends to their extension. This latter treatment, however, must not be carried beyond a certain stage in the growth of the plant, or after the tubers have reached a considerable size, as the extremities of the roots might be seriously injured. Some varieties of potatoes produce their tubers at a much greater distance from the stem than others. These are chiefly to be found among the later sorts. Most of the early kinds produce theirs close to the stem, or at the extremity of very short runners; seldom more than nine inches from the stalk of the plant."

_Forcing._--This should be commenced from three to four weeks before the season for planting in the open ground. The earliest varieties should be chosen for the purpose, selecting whole tubers of medium size, and placing them close together, in a single layer, among half-decayed leaves or very light loam, on the surface of a moderate hot-bed.

"When the shoots have attained the height of two or three inches, and the weather has become sufficiently mild, they should be carefully taken out, and divided into sets; in the process of cutting up the tubers, avoiding as much as possible doing injury to the small fibrous roots, and also to the growing shoots. These sets should then be planted out in hills or drills, in the usual manner and at the usual depth; if possible, leaving the upper portion of the young shoot just above the surface of the ground. Some care is requisite in planting out the sets, particularly in covering; for, if the soil is applied too rudely, the sprouts, which separate very easily from the tubers, are exceedingly liable to be broken off, and the set destroyed for early use. If severe cold or frosty weather occurs, the plants should be protected by straw, or any convenient, light material, placed along the drills or on the hills."

_Taking the Crop, and Method of Preservation._--"The early varieties should be dug for use as they attain a suitable size; which, in warm exposure, will be about the beginning of July; and thence till the middle of August, in less favorable places. The practice of partially removing the soil from about the roots, and gathering the largest tubers, leaving the smaller ones, with the expectation that they will attain a larger size, is a mode of proceeding which seldom realizes the hopes of the cultivator; for the Potato, if once disturbed at the roots, seldom recovers the check.

"When no apprehension is felt on account of disease, a week's delay in commencing on the crop will be found of great importance both to the bulk and quality; for just previous to the decay of the tops, if pleasant weather prevails and the ground is sufficiently moist, the tubers increase in size with great rapidity.

"Late varieties usually const.i.tute the great portion of the main crop, and are those which require most care in taking up and storing. So long as the plants continue green, the Potato should be allowed to remain in the ground; as this is quite indicative that the tubers have not arrived at full maturity."

In the preservation of potatoes, it is of the first importance that they be excluded from light. If this is neglected, they become not only injurious, but actually poisonous; and this is especially the fact when they are allowed to become of a green color, which they readily will do on exposure to the light. In a state of complete darkness they should therefore be placed, the day they are taken out of the ground; and it were even better that they were stored in rather a damp state, than that they should be exposed for a day to the light with a view to dry them.

Drying has a bad effect on the skin of the Potato; for, if subjected to this, the skin and part of the epidermis are made to part with their natural juices, which ever afterwards renders them incapable of absorbing moisture, even if presented to them. Fermentation is also an important evil to be guarded against, as it changes the whole substance of the Potato, and, so far as seed potatoes are concerned, destroys their vegetative principle. As security against this, they should be stored either in barrels or boxes, or in long, narrow ridges, with part.i.tions of earth between. Potatoes once dried should never be again moistened until just before using.

"Keeping potatoes has the effect of diminishing the quant.i.ty of starch contained in them. According to Mr. Johnson, those which in October yielded readily seventeen per cent of starch, gave, in the following April, only fourteen and a half per cent. The effect of frost is also to lessen the quant.i.ty of starch. It acts chiefly upon the vascular and alb.u.minous part; but it also converts a portion of the starch into sugar: hence the sweetish taste of frosted potatoes."--_M'Int._

_Varieties._--Messrs. Peter Lawson and Sons describe one hundred and seventy-five varieties: and other foreign authors enumerate upwards of five hundred, describing the habit of the plant; size, form, and color of the tubers; quality and general excellence; and comparative value for cultivation.

They are obtained from seeds; the latter being quite small, flat, and lens-shaped. One hundred and five thousand are contained in an ounce, and they retain their germinative properties three years.

The process is as follows: "Select some of the largest and best berries, or b.a.l.l.s, when fully ripe, which is denoted by the withering of the stalk; and separate the seeds from the pulp, and dry them thoroughly in the sun. These should be sown in the following spring, and the produce taken up in October. The tubers will then have nearly attained the size of small plums. The best of these should be selected, and the product of each plant carefully and separately preserved. In the month of April following, they should be planted at a distance from one another of from fifteen to eighteen inches; and, when they rise about two inches from the ground, they should be earthed up slightly with the hoe,--an operation which may be repeated during the season. When they have arrived at maturity, they are to be taken up, keeping the product of each stalk by itself; which product is again to be planted the ensuing spring. A judgment of the properties of the varieties will then have been formed, and those are to be reserved for cultivation which are approved of. It will be found, that, whatever had been the character of the parent stock, the seeds will produce numerous varieties, some white, some dark, in color, with tubers of different forms, round, oblong, and kidney-shaped, and varying greatly in the dryness, color, and farinaceous character, of the flesh."--_Low._

ASH-LEAVED EARLY.

Stem nearly two feet in height, erect, with long, smooth, shining, and drooping foliage; flowers very seldom produced; tubers white, roundish, rough-skinned; flesh white, of medium quality. The variety is healthy, and remarkably early; well suited to open culture, but not adapted for growing under gla.s.s, on account of its tall habit.

ASH-LEAVED KIDNEY.

One of the earliest of the garden varieties, well adapted for forcing under gla.s.s or for starting in a hot-bed, and subsequent cultivation in the open ground. The plant is of spreading habit, and about eighteen inches in height; leaves small, recurved; tubers of medium size, kidney-shaped, white; flesh white, dry, and well flavored. Very healthy.

Introduced.

BISCUIT. _Law._

Plant two feet and a half high, spreading; leaves rather rough, large, and of a pale-green color; flowers whitish; tubers rather small, round, smooth, and of a light-brownish color. A very healthy variety, mealy, well flavored, and quite productive. The plants do not decay, nor do the tubers attain full maturity, until nearly the close of the season: the latter are, however, of good quality, and in perfection for the table soon after being harvested.

BLACK CHENANGO.

Black Mercer.

Plant vigorous, and generally of healthy habit; tubers nearly of the form of the Lady's Finger, but of larger size; skin very deep purple, or nearly black; flesh purple, both in its crude state and when cooked; quality good, usually dry, and of good flavor.

The Black Chenango is moderately productive, and withstands disease better than almost any other potato; but its dark color is objectionable. Compared with many of the recent varieties, it has little merit, and is not a profitable sort for extensive cultivation.

BUCKEYE.

A Western variety; grown also to a considerable extent in some parts of the Middle States. "It is a handsome, round potato; white throughout, except a little bright pink at the bottom of the eye. It is very early,--ripening as early as the Chenango; attains a good marketable size as soon as the d.y.k.eman; cooks very dry and light; and is fine flavored, particularly when first matured. It throws up a very thick, vigorous, and luxuriant vine; grows compactly in the hill, and to a large size, yielding abundantly."

For planting for early use, it is a promising variety: but for a late or medium crop, upon strong, rich ground, it is said to grow so rapidly, and to so great a size, that many of the tubers are liable to be hollow-hearted; which considerably impairs their value for table use.

CALICO.

Similar to the Pink-eyed; varying little except in color, which is mostly red, with occasional spots and splashes of white. It is in no respect superior to the last-named variety in quality, and cannot be considered of much value for agricultural purposes or for the table.

CALIFORNIA RED.

A bright-red potato from California. Tubers variable in form, from long to nearly round, rather smooth; eyes slightly depressed.

It is one of the most productive of all the varieties; but, on account of its extreme liability to disease, cannot be recommended for general cultivation.