530 



originally sound remained quite perfect. The same number unsteep- 

 ed were similarly treated, but the diseased were not pushing forth 

 buds when examined. Along with these were duplicates covered with 

 mould, which merely had the effect of keeping the potatoes longer 

 fresh. 



We next tried packing in the following drying materials, namely, 

 powdered charcoal, turf-mould, and dry sand. Six tubers, placed in 

 charcoal, two sound, two slightly diseased, and two considerably dis- 

 eased ; and after remaining five months covered up they appeared as 

 follows : those much diseased, quite decayed ; those slightly diseased, 

 apparently as sound as when put in, and pushing forth strong shoots; 

 the sound still remained so, but had not pushed their buds so forward 

 as the others. The duplicates placed in sand and turf-mould exhi- 

 bited similar results. 



In a damp cellar, six potatoes, all diseased, were placed in dry sand, 

 after being steeped an hour in lime and water, out of which four re- 

 main nearly as they were when put up ; two have decayed into a pu- 

 trid mass. Out of a large potful, half sound, half diseased, as they 

 were dug from the field, and placed in dry sand without steeping, a 

 few have decayed into soft putrescence, without producing any bad 

 effects on those which were sound, which remain strong and healthy. 

 I did not find that charcoal or bog- mould preserved them better than 

 sand ; in each parcel, those that were much diseased when put up 

 had decayed. 



The next experiment I consider to be fraught with considerable 

 interest. It was first suggested, I believe, by Mr. Leland Croswaithe, 

 one of the members of the Botanical Committee — to ascertain the ef- 

 fect of cutting off the diseased parts before storing. The tubers ope- 

 rated on were those of the apple variety, and out of twenty which 

 were considerably diseased, only two have decayed. Ten were put 

 up in dry sand and ten in turf-mould, after being steeped an hour in 

 lime and water. The two which decayed were covered with sand. 

 Those in the turf-mould continued sound. 



The last experiment in preserving, was to leave every alternate drill 

 undug in the open ground, after putting a sufficient quantity of mould 

 over them to preserve them from frost ; and the results, in this in- 

 stance, have been very remarkable. The tubers, both sound and dis- 

 eased, remain, to all appearance, precisely as they were last October. 

 The decay does not appear to have progressed, even in the partially 

 diseased tubers ; the only change which has taken place is in the cu- 

 ticle, which has become cracked, and presents fissures similar to 



