CUR 



179 



CUR 



they lurk, should be stripped off early not one was curled 

 in the spring, and the roots examined full average crop 

 in October, when they exhibit any un 



The produce, a 



' Of No. 2 all came up, but from ten 

 healtiiy symptoms from the attacks of to fourteen days later than those of 



the mafrgots of C. sulcahis 



'' When the larvie are ascertained to 

 reside at the base of the wall, salt might 

 be freely sprinkled, which will kill 

 them as readily as it will the maggots 

 in nuts; strong infusions of tobacco- 

 water, aloes, and ([uassia, are also re- 

 commended." — Gard. Chron. 



CURCUMA. Twenty-one species. 

 Stove herbaceous perennials. From C. 

 longa turmeric is obtained. Offsets. 

 Rich light soil 



No. 1, and three of the plants sixteen 

 days later. Fourteen of the plants were 

 curled. 



" Of No. 3 all came up, but from ten 

 to fourteen days later than those of No. 

 1. P'our plants were as severely curled 

 as those in No. 2, eight were less so, 

 and the remainder not at' all ; but of 

 these the produce was below an ave- 

 rage, and a full fortnightlater in ripening. 



" Dickson, Crichton, Knight, and 

 others, have found that tubers taken up 



CURL. A disease of the potato, before they are fully ripened, produce 



*' Any one can ensure the occurrence 

 of this disease by keeping the sets in a 

 situation favourable to their vegetation, 

 as in a warm damp outhouse, and then 

 rubbing off repeatedly the long shoots 

 they have thrown out. Sets that have 



plants not so liable to the curl as those 

 that have remained in the ground until 

 completely perfected ; and I believe 

 under ordinary treatment this to be the 

 fact, for it is rational. The process of 

 ripening proceeds-in the potato, as in 



been so treated I have invariably found the apple, after it has been gathered ; 

 produce curled plants. Is not the rea- and until that is perfected it is accumu- 

 son very apparent ? The vital energy : lating vigour, shows no appetency to 

 had been weakened by the repeated ' vegetate, consequent!}' is not exhaust- 

 efforts to vegetate ; so that when planted , ing its vitality, which is a great point, 

 in the soil, their energy was unequal to considering the careless mode usually 

 the perfect development of the parts ; adopted to store them through the win- 

 for the curl is nothing more or less than ter ; for this energy commences its dc- 

 a distorted or incomplete formation of cline from the moment it begins to de- 

 the foliage, preceded by an imperfect velope the parts of the future plant. 



production of the fibrous roots, 



" The variety employed was the Early 

 Shaw. An equal number of whole mo- 

 derately-sized potatoes, that had been 

 treated in three different modes, were 

 planted the last week of March. 



No. 1. Twenty sets that had been 



Tubers taken from the soil before per- 

 ; foctly ripe, never are so early in showing 

 symptoms of vegetation. Crichton, Hun- 

 ter, and Young, in some of the works 

 before referred to, have also agreed, 

 that exposing the sets to light and air, 

 allowing them to become dry and shri- 



carefully kept cold and dry throughout veiled, also inducesthe curl in the plants 



the winter, firm, unshrivelled, and with arising from them. This result of ex- 



scarcely any symptoms of vegptation. perience also confirms my conclusion, 



" No. 2. Twenty sets that had been that the disease arises from deficient 



kept warm and moist, and from which vital energy; fiir no process, more than 



the shoots, after attaining a length of this drying one of exposure to the light 



six inches, had been thrice removed. and air, tends to take away from a tuber 



'• No. 3. Twenty sets that had been the power of veL'etating altogether. 



kept warm and moist for about half the 



Every one acijuainted with the cul- 



time that No. 2 liad, and from which tivation of the potato, is aware of the 

 the shoots, three inches in length, had great difl'erence existing in the varieties; 



been removed only twice. 



as to their early and rapid vegetation. 



" All the sets were planted the same those that excel in this quality are of 

 morning, each exactly six inches below course the most easily excitable. A 

 the surface, and each with an unsprout- consequence of this is, that they are 

 ed eye upwards. The spring was ge- always planted earliest in the spring, 

 nial. I befi)re their vital power has become 



" Of No. ], nineteen plants came up. very active ; and of all crops, practice 

 The twentieth seemed to have been re- demonstrates that these early ones are 

 moved by an accident. Of the nineteen , least liable to the curl. But what is 



