Janaai; 1, 1874. ] 



JOUBNAIi OF HOBTIODLTUBB AND COTTAGE GAKDENEB. 



considering tho raooiamendatioua malo in tliat Rsport, thoy 

 begged to give notice tliiit at tlie next Council ttioy would ask 

 for a grant of £100 to carry out tlie first recouimaudation of 

 the Judges. Tliey proposed tliat a special Comiuittee, con- 

 sisting of Lord Ciitucirt, Mr. Whiteliead, Mr. Jabez Turner, 

 Mr. Wakefield, Mr. Brandretli Gibbs, Mr. Brown Jones, Mr. 

 Algernon Clarke, and Mr. CirrntUers, bo appointed to con- 

 sider the suggestions "2 and 3 ; if thoy think it desirable, to 

 draw out in detail a scheme for further investigation into the 

 growth of the Potato and the incidence of the Potato disease, 

 and to submit such scheme to the Council. The Committee 

 further recommended that the Royal Agricultural Society of 

 England should carry out its own independent iuTestigatiou, 

 but as far as possible in concert with the other national so- 

 cieties. This Beport was adopted. — (Eniilish Mechanic.) 



The following is the Rjport of the Judges on the competing 

 essays : — Tha Judges appointed by the Council of the Boyal 

 Agricultural Society to examine the essays competing for the 

 prize of £100, offered by Earl Cathcart, for the best essay on 

 ihe Potato disease and its prevention, have the honour to 

 report as follows : — They have examined ninety-four com- 

 peting essays, and have carefully re-examined twenty-three 

 selected from the total number. They are desirous of ex- 

 pressing their recognition of the great pains bestowed upon 

 the preparation of some of these essays, especially in the col- 

 lection of facts relating to the history of the Potato disease, 

 and to the various theories that have been promulgated as to 

 its cause and prevention. The theories most freijuently ad- 

 vanced by the essayists, either for affirmation or contradiction, 

 may be stated as follows : — 



Pretention. 



Uae of new sorts for planting. 



Steepintj, or kiln-drying tliQ tuber 

 previous to planting. 



Use of lime as a manure. 



Clumping, tumping, or In'Hock- 

 growing. Bending haulm downwards, 

 clear of tiie tubers. Tying haulm 

 upright to stakes, or growth of sorts 

 ba\'ing erect stalks. 



Dressing haulm with sulphur, 

 chlorine, Ac. 



Catting off tops on appearance of 



Cause. 



1. Degeneration of the tuber. 



2. Fungus ou the tuber. 



3. Wet weather, and generally 

 superabundant moisture. 



4. Peronospora Infestans attacking 

 the foliage. 



5. Electricity. 



Sowing disease-proof sorts (either 

 specially mentioned, or generally, 

 as very early and very late vigorous 

 sorts). 



Use of lightning-conductors of va- 

 rious modes of construction. 



Avoidance of the use of certain 

 manures. 



6. Plethoric, or succulent, or dis- 

 eased condition of tho plant caused 

 ■by the use of specific manures. 



A number of other theories were also advanced, but it is 

 not necessary to particularise them. Like the foregoing they 

 have, probably without exception, been for many years 

 •familiar to those acquainted with the practice of Potato 

 growers, or with the literature of the subject. Amongst the 

 ninety-four essays abundant evidence may be collected both 

 in support and in contradiction of any of the foregoing 

 theories ; and it is especially noticeable that the essayists 

 generally consider it sufficient to assign a cause and a mode of 

 prevention of the Potato disease, without giving any scientifi- 

 cally accurate theory of their proposed remedy, or sufficient 

 experimental proof of the accuracy of their statements. The 

 Judges are, therefore, unable to admit that any essayist has 

 established the truth of this theory, particularly as the first 

 condition attached to this offer of the prize is,' that " all in- 

 formation contained in prize essays shall be founded on ex- 

 perience or observation." 



Like the theories of the cause of the disease, the practical 

 suggestions made with a view to its prevention do not go 

 beyond those with which agriculturists and horticulturists 

 were previously familiar ; and, as regards the botanical part 

 -of the subject, it must be confessed that all the essayists 

 appear to be in arrear of tho present condition of scientific 

 knowledge. 



The Judges have, therefore, but with much regret, come to 

 the conclusion that, in accordance with one of the conditions* 

 on which the prize was offered, they must recommend the 

 Council not to award it to the writer of any one of the essays 

 that have come before them. 



The Judges have authority to say that Lord Cathcart hopes 

 the Council will apply the amount of his intended prize in 



' any manner that in the interest of agriculture may seem most 

 advantageous. 



Power having been given to tho Judges to report as to the 

 advisability of a grant being made for further investigations 

 into the incidence and prevention of the Potato disease, they 

 have carefully considered this question. They are much im- 

 pressed with the national importance as well as with the 

 difficulties of tho subject. Therefore, while considering that 

 the Society might, and probably would, confer a great benefit 

 on the community by inaugurating a sufficiently extensive in- 

 quiry, they feel it their duty, before recommending a course 

 of proceeding, to especially call the attention of the Council to 

 the fact that no reliable results can be expected unless ex- 

 periments are made simultaneously at many different places, 

 and continued for many years in succession. 



Presuming that the CouncU is willing to grant the funds 

 necessary for such an investigation, the Judges have drawn up 

 a scheme, which they have based on the following facts:— (1), 

 The natural history of the Potato fungus, from the time it 

 attacks tho foliage until the Potatoes are harvested, is now 

 well known ; but the history of the fungus from the Potato 

 harvest until its re-appearance the following year is at present 

 entirely unknown, and, therefore, offers a suitable field for 

 investigation. (2), The Potato fungus does not usually attack 

 the foUage of the Potato until an advanced period in the 

 growth of the plant ; and it has been confidently asserted by 

 several essayists, as well as previously m the pubho press, that 

 certain sorts of Potatoes are what may be termed " disease- 

 proof," on one or other of the following grounds:— (n), That 

 the haulm dies down (and the Potatoes arrive at maturity) be- 

 fore the period at which tho Potato fungus commonly makes 

 its appearance; (i). That certain late kinds also are, as the 

 result of experience, believed capable of resisting the attacks 

 of the Potato fungus ; (c). That certain new varieties are also 

 able to resist the attack of the fungus. 



The Judges therefore recommend— (1), That a sum of money 

 (say £100j be granted for the purpose of inducing a competent 

 mycologist to undertake the investigation of the Ufe-history of 

 the Potato fungus (Peronospora infestans) in the mterval be- 

 tween the injury to the Potato plant and the re-appearance of 

 the fungus in the foUowing year. (2), That valuable prizes be 

 offered for— (a). The best disease-proof early Potato ; (i). The 

 best disease-proof late Potato. The Judges appointed to award 

 these prizes should be allowed three years to experiment with 

 the competing Potatoes, and with the produce of those kinds 

 which may be found to resist disease, in reference to their 

 cropping, keeping, and cooking quahties. (3), That in order 

 to encourage in the meantime the production of new varieties 

 which may have the quahties already indicated, the CouncU 

 should offer prizes for disease-proof Potatoes of new varieties 

 to be sent in for competition in the year 1878, on terms and 

 conditions simOar to those already recommended. The Judges 

 are of opmion that although all the experimental trials with 

 the competing Potatoes should be under the supervision and 

 control of one and the same Committee, yet that the Hifhland 

 and Agricultural Society of Scotland, theJRoyal Dublin Society, 

 and the Eoyal Agricultural Society of Ireland, might be invited 

 to aid in an investigation of such magnitude, on the ground 

 that the interest of Scotland and Lrelaud in the prevention of 

 the Potato disease does not yield in gravity to that of England 

 and Wales. (Signed) 



Chakles Whitehead, William Cabeuthebs, 



John Algernon Clahke, H. M. Jenkins. 



♦ The Judges were not bound to award a prize, unless they considered one 

 of the essays deserving of it. 



THE BEAUTIFUL AND USEFUL INSECTS OF 

 OUR GARDENS.— No. 13. 

 Dcring the winter season, while labourers are engaged in 

 trimming the hedges, and making-up the roads — and in the 

 course of agricultural operations, waste ground along the sides 

 of fields is often turned-up with the plough or the spade — hy- 

 bemating humble bees are occasionally dislodged from their 

 winter nests, considerably to their discomfort if not to their 

 peril. It may happen that the worker, not expecting to unearth 

 an insect, tumbles over the unfortunate bee with the clods of 

 earth, dry grass, and debris he is turning up, and does not 

 perceive it, in which case the bee may struggle forth and escape 

 with life ; but should the bee be seen, and the individual be a 

 person himself interested in the pursuits of the garden, he will 

 likely enough avail himself of the opportunity of dispatching 

 a presumed enemy in a semi-torpid condition. More particu- 

 larly will he be incUned to do this if he has sufficient know- 



