188 THE POTATO BLIGHT. 



are far superior to all the rest. They are no fathers of 

 ten in family, nor of twenty, nor of twenty times twenty, but 

 (marvel of multiplication !) each of these sires can boast of 

 being the actual parent of ten generations, all, save the last, 

 made up of daughters ! You who doubt whether this is true, 

 or may desire to know how it has been proved, we refer to 

 the scientific pages of Bonnet, Trembley, Richardson, Reimie, 



and a host of other unimpeachable authorities. 



# # # # # # 



We have to subjoin an important, if authentic, addendum 

 to the history of Aphis life. 



From observations made in the summer of 1846, it was 

 concluded by Mr. Alfred Smee, that the originating cause of 

 the potato-blight was the "preternatural abundance of the 

 .Iji/tlf! i;ifitiilnf" By this Insect is occasioned (says he) the 

 first injury to the vegetables it attacks, and "it is thus the 

 :uise of the disease from which the subsequent changes take 

 place. The J'astulor attacks many plants and kills whatever it 

 attacks. It destroys the potato, spinach, turnip, carrot, 

 beet-root, clover, and it will even live upon wheat." 



To causes merely atmospheric, such as absence of summer 

 sunshine and the prevalence of rain, have been likewise ascribed 

 (by most competent authorities)* the potato murrain. It lias 

 also been assigned to the presence of Fungi (in the tubers) ; t 



olcssor Liiulley, l)r. Plavfair, cVc. 

 f By tli..- Rev. M.J. Berkeley. 



