The Potatoe Plague. 79 



experienced in the present crisis of the potatoe crop. If his 

 view be correct, and we believe it is, we need look no fur- 

 ther for the cause of the disease, for it is evident to all, that 

 the great difficulty in finding a remedy to stay the progress 

 of this fearful calamity has been, that its true nature was 

 not understood ; but being understood, a remedy, simple, 

 and universal is at hand. Before entering upon this part of 

 the discussion, however, it will be necessary to give a view 

 of other theories and opinions that are entertained, together 

 with the experience and statements of cultivators in different 

 parts of the country. 



A writer of considerable eminence in the field of Agricul- 

 tural literature, says: 



" The first symptom of degeneracy of the plant in Scot- 

 land, appeared about 1780, when the distemper called the 

 curl was first noticed in the crop ; but it then occurred so 

 rarely that very little notice was taken of it ; the evil grad- 

 ually and extensively increased, when, about the year 1784 

 or 1785, the whole crops of Lothian were seriously affected 

 by it. A remedy, however, was accidentally discovered, by 

 changing the seed from the high country ; and this was and 

 has been the only remedy for the disease of the curl to the 

 present day. At this early period the seed procured from a 

 high country had to be changed every three or four years, 

 but it was found, as the cultivation of the plant increased, so 

 did the disease, and eventually the whole seed had to be 

 changed yearly, as it was found a new disease appeared in 

 the fields the seed only partially germinated - great blanks 

 or failures took place and many farmers lost almost their 

 whole crops. This disease in the seed was called the wet 

 and dry rot ; and, in many instances, seed from all situations, 

 high and low, has now also failed. These two kinds of dis- 

 ease which destroy germination have been variously ac- 

 counted for. Some ascribe the cause to maggots and flies, 



