CUTHILL ON THE POTATO.

New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 768, 24 August 1853, Page 4

CUTHILL ON THE POTATO.

(From the " Agriciilli nl Gazette.*') The Potato is a native of the seaside; il is found on the coasts of Peru and Mexico, !\cw Zealand, &c, &c. When ripe it is like a ball of flour, rich in starch, although small in size. For a long lime after it was introduced into this country it was left in the ground summer and winter, not being taken up unless wanted. In lime we found that we could cat more of this luber ; we also found that they were liked by pigs and cattle; we began to use them more freely. We also discovered the plan of taking them up out of the ground when ripe, and putting Ihem carefully away in rooms or lofts ; in time our crops increased so thai we could not find room in-doors for them, and we al last pitted them out of doors ; this may not be more than 70 years ago. This plan of wintering the Potato was the commencement of its ruin; the increase of crops by manures was so abundant lhat no means were left untried that might still increase Ihem ; but strange to say, we still left them to grow in large heaps, covered thickly with straw and mould, and even thatched with a still heavier great-coat, stopping all perspiration from escaping. The consequences of such management soon showed themselves ; the Potatoes heated, sweated; and afterwards began to grow ; so thai when the spring arrives (hey are found all malted together, their very life'sblood beingexlracled from them ; Ihey are taken out and pulled to pieces, and what nature has placed inside them for their own support is extracted and pulled away from them before planting ; they are then cut into eyes, and if the Potato be a large one we have the inside left; this is given to the pigs, not even allowing a fanproportion to the eye; we dust the wounded and exhausted parts over with lime ; we have our land prepared at great expense and much care, to receive this already half-killed luber, or pari of one; il is planted, but before it can grow il must fill its empty ceils with water, the starch, gluten, and other matter having been sweated and grown out of it. II grows; but how ? Why with a watery, Balsam-like stem, lhat when it is squeezed the water runs out of it. Can people wonder, then, when unfavourable weather comes on, that such a plant cannot stand it? When the plant has grown for a time, and prodaced tubers—some perhaps nearly ripe, white others are In a rapid state of growth

—dull rainy Weather prevails for a week or so ; after this the sun breaks out in all its vigour upon the earth ; the plant is so full of water (bat evaporation and elaboration is slopped, the stomales or breathing pores-small hairy vessels which admit the gases and the air to elaborate the sap—get stopped, so that the moisture which the plant does not want cannot evaporate. Tin's being the case, the whole plant gels confused, the poisonous sap ferments, the circulation still continues, away go the tubers that are not ripe, those that happen lo be nearly ripe suffer less, on account of Ihe flow of sap being finished. The Potato, like all other plants, if mismanaged, must suffer less or more, and the more especially if the weather is favourable to such diseases. All plants aie liable to mildew, according lo their kind. In order lo bring back litis much abused, but most nseful and splendid vegetable to its original health, we must consider the climate from which it comes (and like the Lisianlhus Uussellianus, which has baffled the skill of the best of gardeners lo keep and grow, we must look into its natural and native treatment). The Potato, then, being a native of ihe sea-coast of Peru and Mexico, where a large amount of salt spray must be deposited at all times, the air much impregnated with saline gases, if this is so, then we ought to use much salt and no strong manures whatever. Much has been said and written about autumn-planting in Ibis country. If the system which 1 have practised for the last 22 years cannot be followed out, then let autumn planting be strictly followed out, only let the Potatoes be well greened until they are quite dark, the skin then gets so lough that no insect can touch it; but the tubers must be planted whole when the eyes begin to grow. They then grow slowly, forming a woody stem, as they i\o in their native country. This first woody formation never leaves the stem, even lo its very top; the vessels are contracted and small: they contain much less water, as is the casein their native country ; and it is a well-known fact, that the Potatoes on the coast of Peru have a dry resting season, there being no rain whatever for several weeks. This may be called their winter, but here, when planted, unprepared lor the winters rain and cold damp earth, it is quite a different thing altogether. And then, again, what manures do they get in their native state? None but salt-water spray and virgin mould ; clearly showing that if we want lo [(reserve the Potato wc must take its native situation as our guide, foregoing all rich and stimulating manures, and be contented with a much smaller crop, but with a much finer flavour, and richer in starch. The Potato is like all other plants or animals, overgorging or overfeeding tends always lo disease, and should nnfavourable circumstances occur disease must break ou I. We blame everything but ourselves as having been the cause of it; one thing is certain, the poorer the land, the more woody Ihe stem of the Potato, the less luxuriant in foliage, and the smaller Ihe crop. Bui one Potato rich in starch is worth three walery ones for food ; in fact, a Polato without starch is worthless, even for pigs.

I have practised my system now for 22 years; I first discovered it,as it here, hy accident, when at Viscount Canterbury's in Essex. The foreman came one wet lay and said that the Potatoes in the loft here sprouting, that they wanted picking over. A thought struck nic, when J saw them, that if they were put into 5 inch pots they would come earlier than by picking the sprouts then off; it was an early round sort. Some one or two thousands were potted, and kept in an empty vinery; they they were planted under the south walls, and they came in very early, heating those in the frames. This was the commencement of my plan of greening and wintering, which I have followed ever since; neither have I cut a whole Potato since. I have many hundreds of letters hy me thanking me for my pamphlets, some of them from persons who cultivate many acres of Potatoes. I have just had one from a person in Northamptonshire, saying that he grew 8 acres, all sound, and that he was clearing 22<*. per acre, after all railway expenv s were paid, besides saving enough seed to plant 12 acres next year, while all (hose around him were diseased, and the same sort too (Regents), all carefully wintered as laid down in my pamphlet. As this gentleman must be a reader of the Gazelle, perhaps lie will be kind enough to speak for himself, as well as many more who have written tome on the subject. One thing we ought never to forget,—if a thing can be well done on a small scale, it can also be done on a large one ; if not, do not do it at all. — James Cut hill, Camberwell.