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knew a case in which a whole field became diseased in three days. 

 He believed the only remedy was mowing down the haulm of the 

 potato the moment it was attacked. — Prof. L. Playfair was certain of 

 one thing, — and that was, that the disease was not due to fungi. The 

 nature of it was evident, as it could be produced artificially. If you 

 scraped a potato and placed it in the open air it became diseased ; — 

 and, in the course of a few hours, the fungi would appear on it. — Mr. 

 E. Solly believed that the disease depended on chemical changes, 

 not on the attack of the fungus. — Mr. Bush had examined the dis- 

 eased potatoes under the microscope, and in its early stages had al- 

 ways failed to discover the slightest indication of the existence of a 

 fungus. As the disease advances, first one fungus appears, and then 

 another, — and at last animal life. This was the progress of all vegeta- 

 tive decay. The disease always commences on the outside of the 

 potato, and proceeds to the centre. He had always found the disease 

 constantly attended with the development of crystals of oxalate of 

 lime. — Prof. Balfour stated that some fungi attacked living and 

 healthy structures, — others only diseased ones. The fungus of the 

 potato wasaBotrytis which he believed attacked healthy structures. — 

 Mr. A. Strickland said, in reference to Dr. Buckland's recommenda- 

 tion to mow down the potatoes, that, when his neighbours mowed 

 down their potatoes, he dug his up. They had lost neai'ly all theirs, 

 whilst he had saved nearly all his. — Dr. Lankester observed on the 

 want of evidence to support the theories of either cause or remedies 

 that had been brought forward. Cold and heat had been assigned as 

 causes, by destroying the tissues of the potato ; but no destroyed tis- 

 sues had been shown to exist. Debility had also been supposed to 

 exist ; but no proof was given of the existence of debility ; — and the 

 Dean of Westminster himself had admitted that he had seen the 

 healthiest potatoes destroyed in three days. Positive observation was 

 evidently opposed to the fungus theory. As to the remedies recom- 

 mended, seedlings had been known to be attacked in more cases than 

 Ihey had escaped; and, therefore, sowing the seeds could not be 

 recommended. Mowing down the stalks had not been more successful 

 than letting them alone ; — and it ought now to he known, that this 

 Meeting had done nothing more valuable than to show the insuffi- 

 ciency of all theories and remedies hitherto advancedy 

 Alas ! then, how little has it done ! 



