"It is a seedling of the Garnet Chili, that was originated in 1861, by
Albert Brezee, Esq., an intelligent farmer of Hortonville, Vt. I have
experimented with it for three years, and have been so well pleased with
it that I have purchased all Mr. Brezee could spare for the last two
years, and have engaged the whole of his small crop for another year.
"It has a stout, erect stalk, of medium height; large leaves; flowers
freely; bears no fruit. The tuber is quite smooth, nearly cylindrical,
varying to flattish at the centre, tapering gradually toward each end.
Eyes shallow, but sharp and strongly marked. Skin thin, tough, of a dull
bluish color. Flesh white, solid, and brittle; rarely hollow; boils
through quickly; is very mealy, and of the best table quality. It is as
healthy and productive as the Early Goodrich, matures about ten days
earlier, and is its superior for the table. The cut is a good outline of
this beautiful and excellent sort.
"I consider it the most promising very early potato with which I am
acquainted, and I have tried nearly all the early sorts of the country."
* * * * *
_~How to Double Your Crop, when you have New and Rare Kinds.~_--In an
ordinary hot-bed or cold frame, put some six inches of good, loose, rich
soil; split your potato, and lay it cut side down about three inches
under the surface. When the sprouts are four or five inches high, lift
the potato, slip off the sprouts, and plant them.
You can then cut the tuber into single eyes, and plant as usual. The
crop from the sprouts will ripen two weeks before the others. I made $40
this year by trying this with a _handful_ of potatoes. Every reader is
welcome to it, and may make as much or more than I did, if he secures a
few pounds of the newer and costly but valuable kinds.
W.
_Early Goodrich._
A seedling of the Cusco of 1860. In 1862, Mr. Goodrich described it:
"Round to longish; sometimes a crease at the insertion of the root;
white; flowers bright lilac; (produces) many balls; yield large. Table
quality is already very good. This sort is No. 1 every way." He said to
me in the spring of 1864: "This early sort gives me more satisfaction
than any other I have ever grown." This variety ripens as early as the
Ashleaf Kidney; on rich soil yields from 250 to 350 bushels per acre;
has never shown any disease; is white-fleshed, and of superior quality.
The above description by D. S. Heffron is fully sustained by my
experience.
I noticed at dinner to-day, (Nov. 17th,) every potato in a large dishful
had cracked its skin, and from most of them the skin had peeled itself
half off.
W.
* * * * *
_Rev. W. F. Dixon_, of Pine Grove, gives the results of his experience
in the following note:
"PINE GROVE, MERCER CO., PA.,
September 20, 1868.
"A year ago last spring, a friend gave me three early Goodrich potatoes,
which I planted four eyes in a hill, and last fall I raised over one
bushel. I had the Buckeye planted in the same lot. The Goodrich produced
about four times as much to the hill as the Buckeye."
* * * * *
Our country may well honor the memory of Rev. C. E. Goodrich, who, by
persevering experiments and patient toil, has produced such wonderful
results. His success should stimulate every farmer to make a similar
line of experiments.
_Potato Crop of New York State._--The total potato crop of the State of
New York, this year, is about 25,000,000 bushels. The six great potato
counties are Washington, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Monroe, St. Lawrence, and
Genesee. Only one other county (Oneida) produces 300,000 bushels; three
others, 600,000; one, 500,000; six, 400,000. New York county returns a
crop of 1700 bushels. The entire crop of the State, 25,000,000 bushels,
is raised on 254,403 acres of land. The three counties in the State
which produce the most potatoes join each other, viz., Washington,
Rensselaer, and Saratoga--their aggregate production reaching within a
fraction of 2,500,000 bushels, or more than one-eighth of the total
product of the whole State.--_New York Observer_.