On the Method of Raising Seedling Potatoes

On the method of raising 
SEEDLING POTATOES.
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TAKE of the apples of any sort of potatoes,
hang them up in a warm room, during the
winter, and in the spring separate the seeds from
the pulp, by washing the apples in water, and
pressing them with the fingers. Then dry the
seeds upon paper--otherwise when the apples are 
thoroughly ripe press out the seeds and dry them
on paper.
    In the month of April sow these seeds in drills,
in a bed of earth well dug and manured with
rotten dung. When the plants are about an inch
high, draw a little earth up to them with a hoe,
in order to lengthen their main roots. When 
they are about three inches high, dig them up
with a spade, and separate them carefully from
each other, in order for planting out in the fol-
lowing manner.
    Prepare a piece of fresh ground by trench-
ing it well. Dig up the seedling plants as before
directed, and plant them out in the ground thus
prepared, in such a manner that there shall be
sixteen inches between every plant. As they ad-
vance in growth, let them receive one or two
earthings up, in order to lengthen the main root,
and to encourage the shoots under ground.
    By this management they will in the course of
one season, arrive at the size of hen’s eggs, and
the haulm or stalks will be as vigorous as if sets
or cuttings had been planted, and although this
may seem impossible, at least, very improbable to

the unexperienced readers, yet one experiment
properly conducted, will convince them other-
wise, as I have experienced upon the peninsula of
Halifax. 
    By the method commonly used by unexperien-
ced Farmers in general of raising potatoes from
seed, they are always two and probably three years
in bringing them to their full size. By the above
method of transplanting with wide distances, ma-
ny of the potatoes nearly attain their full size in
one season. 
    It is observable that these seedlings produce
potatoes of all the different kinds; and sometimes
new sorts are procured.
    Potatoes when propagated from sets or cuttings,
after a number of years, are found to decrease in
bearing; for which reason they should be brought
back every 10, 12, or 14 years to their origi-
ginal.
    For want of attention to this circumstance, I
have known potatoes to run out, that they hardly
return treble seed. The farmer complains his
land is tired of them, but the true cause is the
age of the sets.
    The encrease of potatoes raised from seed is
truly astonishing. They continue in vigour from
about ten to fourteen years, according to the soil,
after which the produce gradually declines.