{"character_count": 2539, "word_count": 462, "ccnet_language_score": [0.9750000238418579], "ccnet_perplexity": [1255.199951171875], "fasttext_language": ["en"]}



actcr Of the season, it is true, has an i'm.
portant influence upon the character of the
potato crop; but we think, as general
fact, much Of the inferiority Of potatoes
common in our markets, is attributable 10
neglect in the selection and management
Of seed. 1t Is more common than other
wise for potatoes 10 be stored promiscu-
ously at harvest, and thus permitted to lie
together till towards spring, when sort
ing Of the best that remains is made for
seed. The selection should be made pre-
vious to storing, and a separate place pro-
vided for those intended for seed-free from
light, from heat, and from danger Of free
zing. 1t is contended by many skilful
farmers in England, that the latest formed
tubers are far the best for seed-or indeed,
those which have not attained perfect ma
turity. The tubers which are latest form
ed will retain their reproductive proper
ties more fully at the next season. This
seems plausible to us.


In England the best farmers store the
seed potatoes BY themselves in pits dug in
the earth: and managed in this way, and
being chosen from the last formed tubers,
they retain their full vigor till planting
time again returns; and even, If not per.
fecily ripe when pitled, they will become 80.
,Misasserted By observing agricnltutsts,
that weakness Of the seed is the chicfca,is
Or defects or futures in the potato crop, and
tlsat this weakness comes from over-ripe-
ness. 81 think (says writer in the Gar
dener's Chrohicle) that the loss and dis
appointment from failure in the potatoe crop
may, in 99cases out loo, oe prevented by
the ercise Of q little care. / knew q
market gardener, famed for his potatoes,
whose practice always was to dig up and
put away sufficient for next years seed,
before they had completed their growth
They were thus full Of sap, and kept so.
/ have myself had potatoes so wa y as to
be unfit for the table, bnt from this very
fact they made very good seed. A friend
Of mine called on me one day to lsok at
his potato field, which had been well pre-.
pared and dressed with farm-yard manure.
He observed that they came up very bad,
and desired to know what was the matter.
The fact was, the seed had been stored
away with large mass al winter, and de-
privsd Of sprouts two or three ipches
long, before planting. The vitality was
quite exhausted before they were put In
the ground: this wasihe secret Of tire fail
nre. Seed potatoes should not Be Of q
mealy quality, nor Be kept, out Of the
ground more than twenty -four hours aller,
beingeut for Paanfing. a Z s7is 4