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predisposing causes ensued, or would send up a puny and dis- 
eased stalk. In America, also, although the weather was dry, 
the potato crop was defective, having suffered from blight ; 
symptoms of the disease likewise appeared, late in the autumn 
of this year, in England, especially in Kent and Devonshire. 
«©1845. General potato failure. The disease, which had 
already manifested itself in North America, first appeared ge- 
nerally in Great Britain and Ireland late in the autumn of this 
year; it also extended throughout Scotland, and was very de- 
structive in Holland, Belgium, France, and Germany. 
‘1846. Complete and general potato failure throughout 
all Ireland. 
«©1847. Very extensive potato failure. Turnips and other 
green crops were also injured. ‘There was a failure in the 
beans similar to that in the potato. 
«©1848. Extensive potato failure. At the end of July 
and beginning of August the usual blight was again reported, 
but not so general as in 1846. 
«©1849. Potato failures reported from various parts of the 
country. 
«©1850. The potato blight appeared in some localities, but 
to a partial extent only. 
«©1851. Slight and partial potato failure. 
‘¢ Partial and localized failures were reported during the 
summers and autumns of 1852, 1853, and 1854. 
‘‘ Thus we find that partially in 1845, almost entirely in 
1846, very extensively in 1847, and nearly as much so in 
1848, the potato, as a crop, failed ; and as the disease rose, so 
it sunk, for in 1849 and 1850, potato failures, although not ge- 
neral, were both intense and widely extended. Like the inva- 
sion of other great epidemics affecting man or animals, the 
violence of which approaches a culminating point and then 
abates, so the late potato disease slowly and insidiously pro- 
gressed, until it reached its acme, during 1846, 1847, 1848, then 
stood still, and gradually, year by year, gave way, until the 
