Ho. 105.] 359 



later or colder soils. It may be laid down as a general rule that the 

 potato crop is in a great measure affected in proportion to the state of 

 ripeness in which it was in, early dry soils bringing the crop sooner 

 to maturity than cold wet soils." 



Mr. Maxwell of Munches, Kirkcudbrightshire: " I have seen it 

 worst on dry craft land, and on drained clay." 



These and many other instances, which I might mention, show 

 that dryness of the land has not proved an efficient protection. But 

 a still greater number say, that on heavy moist land, and stiff clay, 

 the disease has been worst. These discrepancies may be in some 

 degree reconciled by the fact which seems to be nearly universal, 

 that the best crop is most liable to be attacked. On the heavy land 

 the crop is most frequently best, and has therefore been most often 

 attacked. Where there has been a deep dry loam, it has in many 

 instances been even worse than the clay, as being still more favorable 

 to a large and early crop. In some districts all soils are reported to 

 be nearly equal. 



Much has been said about the preservative qualities of peaty land, 

 and in many cases the crops grown upon it have been less affected. 

 Twelve instances are given in answer to the above query, No. 8, 

 where the potatoes grown upon peat have suffered little, if at all. 

 The Irish commissioners laid much stress upon this, and actually 

 carried their enthusiasm so far as to propose soaking the potatoes in 

 hog water. Such virtues being thus attributed to peat, the query No. 

 7, was made specially to collect information about it. 



Mr. Elliott, Hardgrove, Dumfriesshire, mentions " two mosses the 

 potatoes grown on which are quite sound ; one of them was broken 

 up last year, and the potatoes raised from that seed this year, are 

 perfectly sound. 



On the other hand, in a conversation with Mr. Cheyne, the factor 

 of the island of Islay, a few days since, he told me that his potatoes 

 were part of them this year, on a pure moss, broken up for the first 

 time, and that they were at least as bad there as any where else. 



.Mr. Clarke, Eriholl, Sutherlandskire, mentions several cases of dis- 

 eases of potatoes also on pure moss. 



Mr. Gardiner, overseer to Mr. Fleming, of Barochan, says, " The 

 disease has, to my knowledge, appeared both on peaty and newly 



