370 [Senate 



The season is not yet sufEciently advanced for many answers to this 

 query. 



Mr. Burnett,) Gadgirth, Ayrshire, says, " I have no decided experi- 

 ence of this, but I believe that the potato may be diseased, and yet 

 produce sound seed, provided the eyes are not affected, and they be 

 planted in a proper soil without manure," 



So also Mr. Lockkead^ Toward, Argyleshire-, " It is possible that 

 healthy potatoes may be raised from diseased seed if the eye is good. 



Mr. McJVeil, Galdnock, Wigtonshire, says that some of his martin 

 potatoes have budded since raising, some of them having small new 

 potatoes. 



Mr. Hunter , Ayrshire . " I have seen healthy potatoes raised from 

 diseased seed." 



I saw, a few days ago, a potato from one of the pits of Mr. Gird- 

 wood, Corstorphine, which had two young and apparently healthy po- 

 tatoes attached to it, the parent tuber being quite black and rotten. 



It is thus seen that potatoes will, in some, instances, at least, sprout, 

 even if diseased. Whether the potatoes produced will remain healthy 

 is yet to' be proved. 



Query 20. — Has there been any peculiarity of weather, in respect of 

 wetness, or otherwise, which, in your opinion, may account for the oc- 

 currence of the disease in your neighborhood T 



The report of the Groningen commission ascribes the disease to the 

 wetness and sudden changes of this and the preceding season. 



Mr^ Payen thinks excessive moisture has predisposed the potato to 

 yield lo the attacks of fungi. 



Mr. Phillips, of London has published a pamphlet, in which he as- 

 cribes the whole thing to the same cause. 



These are only a few among the many who advocate this view of 

 the question. All those who have experienced much rain, assign this 

 as the cause of disease, not knowing that it is as bad where there has 

 been little rain, and on dry soils. 



The answers to the above query in many instances confirm the opi- 

 nion which I expressed under query 17, that wetness alone has not 

 caused the disease. 



