TJie Potatoe Plague. 



69 



ROUND REDS. 



Had the above results been obtained by experience con- 

 trived for the purpose, they could not have borne more direct- 

 -ly on the point in question, as we find in the wet summer of 

 1843, and the extraordinary drought of 1844, as well as in 

 the average seasons of 1841 and 1842, it accidentally hap- 

 pened that part of my potatoe crop was grown from ripe, and 

 another part from unripe sets, and in every case with success 

 from the one, and failure from the other ; thus showing that 

 the seasons could not be blamed as the- cause of curl. To 

 make these instances still more conclusive, it also happened 

 thai each of the two very different kinds of potatoes named 

 were alternately affected by or free from curl ; thus showing 

 that it was not a peculiarity belonging to a particular kind 

 of potatoe. 



Thus far I have detailed my own experience only ; but 

 when it first occurred to me that over-ripening of the set was 

 the cause of the curl, I naturally became anxious to compare 

 the experience of others with my own, and make many in- 

 quiries on the subject from other potatoe growers. The 

 information thus received still more strongly confirmed me 

 in my previous opinion, and I select one or two of the cases 



