152 



but in yeai-s when the flowers are deficient, the difference is slight in- 

 deed. On this topic, it may not be uninteresting to adduce the opinion 

 of the celebrated Liebig, who remarks that "much attention has recently 

 been drawn to the fact that the produce of potatoes may be much in- 

 creased by plucking off the blossoms from the plants producing them, 

 a result quite consistent with theory. This important observation has 

 been completely confirmed by M, Zeller, the director of the Agricul- 

 tural Society of Darmstadt. In the year 1839, two fields of the same 

 size, lying side by side, and manm-ed in the same manner, were planted 

 with potatoes. When the plants had flowered, the blossoms were re- 

 moved from those in one field, while those in the other field were un- 

 touched. The former produced 47 bolls, the latter only 37 bolls."* 

 Agricultural Chemistry. 



The diseases of the potato, hitherto, have been the curl aad the blight. 

 Much has been said and written about both these diseases, yet the causes 

 of them have never been satisfactorily explained. With regard to the 

 first of these diseases, some have asserted that it is caused by the seed- 

 tubers being frosted, while others imagine that it arises from the potato- 

 set being incapable of supplying the young shoot with a sufficient quan- 

 tity of nourishment until it is able to provide for itself. It is well 

 known that the juices of vegetables subserve all the . purposes of blood 

 in animals; hence, both animals and vegetables are strong or weak, 

 sickly or healthy in proportion to the quantity and quality of the circu- 

 lating fluid which they respectively contain. Frost destroys the juices of 

 vegetables, and consequently utterly unfits them for performing the func- 

 tions of \egetation. As formerly stated, all frosted potatoes should be 

 rejected for seed. A yearly change of seed is recommended for this dis- 

 ease. 



The blight^ is more virulent in its attacks, and more capricious in its 

 workings than the disease formerly mentioned. Its ra\ages ha\-e been 

 more severe in some localities than in others ; while one part of a field 

 remained unscathed, the other part was entirely tainted. This year, po- 

 tatoes planted on heights are destroyed, while the humble occupants of 

 the valley remain uninjured ; next year, those growing on elevations are 

 entirely exempt, while those occupying Xc^ gi-ound are utterly blighted. 

 This apparent vice versaing of the disease in its operations having puz- 



•The boll contains six bushels. 



