APPENDIX. 107 



dead. On the contrary, the rows treated as above 

 were luxuriant and in full vigour, the plants bushy, 

 the foliage thick, the leaves large and dark green, 

 so that most people supposed they had been later 

 planted. 



" But the difference in the tubers was also very 

 decided. The tubers of the plants in the rows 

 treated on my plan were not indeed larger, but 

 vastly more numerous, and they were neither scabby 

 nor affected with any disease whatever. A few had 

 pushed (which was to be ascribed to a late rain), 

 and were apparently incompletely developed, while 

 scab and wet rot attacked more and more the tubers 

 of the other plants, which also fell off on the 

 slightest handling. 



" Although I am far from believing that I am 

 able to explain the nature of the potato disease, 

 which has visited us of late years, yet I feel certain 

 that I have discovered a means of strengthening the 

 potato plant to such a degree as to enable it to 

 resist the influences which determine such diseases. 



" Should any one be deterred from continuing the 

 cultivation of potatoes, on account of the manipula- 

 tion here recommended, which may be performed 

 by women and even by children, I would remind him 

 that the same field planted with potatoes is capable 

 of supplying food to twice as many persons as when 

 employed to grow wheat." 



(From the Annals of Agriculture in Prussia, edited by the 

 College of Rural Economy.') 



