7go 



On the Pctaio Curl, Aug, 



cefsful enterprife, carry with them much valuable Inftruciion, as 

 being incentives to fimilar attempts, and c;uiJes in the execution 

 of them. And I may hr:re conclude thefe fhort remarks and 

 fu'^gedions with the well known and often quoted cbfervation of 

 Dr Swift, ' That that man who double? the produftive powers 

 of the earth) is a more ufeful member of the community than all 

 the race of politicians put together.' 



I am yours, &c. Amicus Scoti.?.. 



London y Zth April 1803. 



TO THE CONDUCTOR OF IHE FARMERS MAGAZINE. 



On the Potato Curl. 



Sir, 



Tuf: curl in potatoes, and fmut in whrat, have been the fub- 

 \tOiS> of much ingenious dlfcuiTion in various publications ; in fe- 

 veral of which it is ftated, that ws know how to prevent thefe 

 baneful maladies, judging from my own praflice, however, I 

 muft fay, that I will more readily fubfcribe to this (tatemenf, 

 "with refpect to the latter, than tlie former difeafe. Your cor- 

 refpondent * Agricola,' confiders the checks received by the 

 young plants, about tlie time of their coming above ground, as 

 the caufe of curl ; and therefore condemns ^.7r/ji planting, recom- 

 mending the firft v.-eek in May, or the laft in April, as the mod 

 advantageous time for that operation ; and, perhaps^ he is right 

 in thinking that fuch checks are the leading caufe of curl. See- 

 ing, however, that fome feafons are early, and fome late ; that 

 we cannot regulate the firft appearance of the young plants by 

 the time cff committing the feed to the ground ; and that,, in 

 fom-! feafons, tiie weather is more warm and falubrious to fuch 

 vegetables, in May, than in June, and iurcve?-fa; the difficulty 

 of prevention^ on this hypothecs, feem.s infurmountable. From 

 ■what * Agricola' fays, as to the potatoes from the curled 

 ftems polluting the fucceeding crop, it would appear that he 

 fuppofes the curl to arife, in fome degree, from imperfecl iztd. 

 He does not, however. Hate liis opinion as to the manner in 

 which the infecSlion is communicated — whether by juxta pontion, 

 or otherwife. Some contend that it is communicated in the for- 

 mer way Xo perfecl potatoes ^ others, that it is communicated to 

 thofe only which are raifed from feed taken from curled ftems ; 

 and fome, tha': a perfeft potato, wliichhas never come in conta6t 

 with, or near, any of thofe which have been taken from curled 

 plants, will fomstimes raife a difeafed flcra. On thefe points, 



perhaps. 



