No. 105.] 355 



Mr. Fleming, of Barochan., and his overseer Mr, Gardiner, con- 

 cur, " thai the disease (or a modification of it) has been noticed in 

 spring, during the last ten or twelve years, but never before at this 

 season." 



Mr. Campbell, of Craigie, Ayrshire, and several Dumfriesshire 

 gentlemen, say that it is the same disease that has been more or less 

 fatal during the last twelve or fourteen years. 



The report of the Groningen Commission says, " It is probable that 

 this disease has long existed in this country, but it has never hitherto 

 sufficiently developed itself to attract serious attention. The com- 

 mission is, however, of opinion, that the disease as now known to 

 us has never been treated by naturalists." 



It appears, then, that very nearly all agree that the disease has at no 

 previous time been as extensive as at present, and that in a majority 

 of cases it is considered new. No doubt it is quite new in some dis- 

 tricts, but in others at least a modification of it seems to have been 

 noticed for some years pasr, though not of very alarming extent. 



Query 4. — At what time during the present season, did the disease 

 first appear in your neighborhood 1 Has its appearance been sud- 

 den and unexpected ? 



In the majority of instances, the disease seems to have appeared 

 in September, rather early in the month ; in many places, however, 

 it was observed long before this, even in July. In some instances, 

 no doubt, it existed for a considerable period before discovery. I 

 visited a farm in the county of Durham, a short time since, and was 

 told by the farmer, that there was no disease among his potatoes. 

 After a short inspection of his store room, I found several diseased 

 ones, to his very great astonishment and dismay. 



In almost every case, the appearance of the disease was sudden 

 and unexpected. In some fields it broke out in small spots, from 

 which it spread more or less rapidly. In other cases the whole crop 

 seemed to be smitten at once. I have heard of some that were quite 

 destroyed, from a state of apparent soundness, in forty-eight hours. 



Mr. Findlay, of Easterhill, Lanarkshire, says, "I had sold my 

 potatoes at ,£24 per acre- about a week only, before the disease ap- 

 peared, which was towards the end of September. Before I made 

 .the sale, the whole field was examined, and no disease appeared." 



[Senate, No. 105.] 23 



