364 [Senate 



Mr. Burnett, of Gadgirth. " The disease appeared soonest on 

 lands heavily manured with ordinary farm yard manure, and later on 

 those manured with guano." 



Mr. Elliot, Hardgrove. " Potatoes planted with stable manure^ 

 are aifected sooner than those planted with guano or bones." 



There are also five instances from a parish in Wigtonshire, where 

 potatoes planted wdth dung and guano, or guano alone, were better 

 than those planted with dung alone. 



In direct contradiction to these statements Mr. Hunter, West Kil- 

 bride, .Ayrshire, says, " Wherever I used guano at the time of plant- 

 ing the disease showed itself sooner, and more in number were af- 

 fected." 



The eight testimonials above, are the only ones among nearly sev- 

 enty answers w-hich go to prove that manures have even a modifying 

 influence. 



The great body of evidence is on the other side, and goes far to 

 prove that no manure can be considered a specific remedy. 



Query 14. — Do you think the want of lime in the soil, is any 

 cause of failure ? 



In all the answers to this query, I have only been able to find two 

 which ascribed any virtue to lime. 



Mr. William Lockhart, Stevenston, Jlyrskire, says, " I top dressed 

 seven acres heavily with hot lime on the braird, and think them the 

 clearest of disease." 



Mr. Mellville, St. Andrews, Fifeshire. "I have been told that 

 where lime had been used on the land, the potatoes were all good, 

 and on part of the same land not limed, they were all rotten ; but I 

 cannot speak to this from my own knowledge." 



Against these two aflfirmatives, are to be placed forty-one negative 

 answers, some of which are very decisive. 



Mr. Smith, Ladyland, Dumfriesshire, says, " I have seen them 

 fail upon new broke up land, where about seventy measures of lime 

 to the acre had previously been applied." 



Mr. Gardiner, overseer to Mr. Fleming of Barochan. "I do not 

 think the want of lime in the land has had any influence in causing 

 the disease, as it has appeared in fields which are heavily limed every 



