532 



together, large pots were filled with potatoes, some sound and others 

 in various stages of disease. The pots were placed together in dry 

 and moist situations, when the diseased tubers soon decayed into a 

 soft putrid state, without, in any instance, infecting those that were 

 sound, although in close contact with them. 



Such were the experiments I considered advisable to conduct, with 

 their results ; and, although made on a small scale, the inferences de- 

 ducible from them are not devoid of interest to the practical agricul- 

 turist. 



In the first place, it appears that diseased tubers, exposed to a dry, 

 warm atmosphere, decayed much quicker than those subjected to any 

 of the other modes of treatment. 



Secondly, that diseased tubers placed on shelves in a cool room, 

 but exposed to atmospheric changes, decayed sooner than their du- 

 plicates which were in the same house, but covered with mould. 



Thirdly, that diseased tubers placed in a dry cellar, where the tem- 

 perature was low and uniform, kept much better than those which 

 were in drier media. 



Fourthly, that where the affected parts were cut off diseased tubers, 

 and then steeped in lime and water, they have not decayed nearly so 

 much as when left whole. 



Fifthly, that potatoes left in the ground have not decayed further 

 than they were last November. 



Sixthly, that sound potatoes have kept as well as in ordinary sea- 

 sons. 



In reference to plants produced from different states of the tubers — 



1 . Those that were much diseased decay quickly when placed un- 

 der the influence of heat and moisture, and do not produce plants. 



2. Those slightly diseased are liable to fail, and the plants pro- 

 duced are weaker than those from healthy tubers; and, further, that 

 they are liable to become afiected on the lower portion of the stem, 

 and decay. 



3. Sound tubers produce, apparently, sound plants. 



4. Cup potatoes, though slightly diseased, are not so liable to fail 

 as some others in the same state, though the produce of such is not so 

 healthy nor strong as those of sound tubers. 



5. Steeping in lime and water appears to have had very little effect. 

 Now I am inclined to infer from these facts, that the decay which 



has taken place among stored potatoes, has not been caused by the 

 disease progressing, but rather from the effect it produced last au- 

 tumn, and the manner in which they have been stored. It is well 



