659 



We cannot conclude these observations better than with the report 

 published in the ' Athenceum,' of the doings of the British Association 

 on this absorbing subject ; the opinions expressed by the savans are 

 somewhat too varied to be generally received ; but we think Dr. Lan- 

 kester's concluding remark, though somewhat uncomplimentary to 

 the Association, will receive universal assent : we have italicised the 

 remark to which we allude. 



Mr. W. HoGAN read a paper ' On Potatoes raised from Seed, as a 

 means of preventing the extension of the prevailing disease.' — EJe 

 first read extracts from German publications, giving the result of the 

 trial of growing potatoes from the seed of the plant, which had been 

 found to be successful as far as the production of tubers, and also the 

 preventing the prevailing disease. Mr. Hogan had also tried the same 

 process with success. The proceeding consisted in growing the seeds 

 first in a hot-bed, and then transplanting. He considered this to be 

 a successful way, because the most natural. 



Mr. M. Stirling stated that he had, some time since, recommended 

 to the Government of Sweden the plan of procuring the potato seed, 

 and deriving thence the crops. He had advised giving prizes for the 

 best seedling potatoes, and he also recommended hybridizing the 

 potato, as a means of improvement. — Mr. W. Ogilby thought grow- 

 ing potatoes from the seeds might prevent the scurf and dry rot, but 

 not the present wet rot of the potato. He quoted several instances in 

 which seedling crops had been destroyed. He had been most suc- 

 cessful in growing potatoes from a little tuber which sprung from the 

 "eyes" of the old ones going to decay. — Dr. Crook attributed the 

 attack in the year 1845 to " cold." The cold burst the vessels ; and 

 then came the disease. Heat produces the same effects as cold ; it 

 bursts the tissues of the vessels, and the consequence is disease. — Dr. 

 Daubeny did not think that atmospheric changes had anything to do 

 with the disease at all. He thought that the most satisfactory theory 

 was that which referred the disease to fungi. He had understood 

 that there was no potato disease in the neighbourhood of the copper 

 furnaces in Swansea. — Dr. Buckland had lately visited Prof. Payen, 

 who advocated the doctrine that the disease arose from fungi; and 

 he (Dr. Buckland) believed so too. There was, in fact, a fungiferous 

 miasm existing, which, like cholera, attacked not all, but those who 

 were pre-disposed. It was the weak and intemperate that were 

 attacked with cholera ; it was the debilitated potato that had the dis- 

 ease. Extreme conditions of temperature debilitated the potato, and 

 then it became diseased. The potatoes were suddenly attacked. He 



