180 



APPENDIX. 



famine has been of frequent occurrence in many populous countries, 

 through short or defective supplies of the necessaries of life. 



It is conceded by the generality of those who have investigated the 

 subject of disease in potatoes, that the tubers soon become defective 

 after the tops cease to grow; and common observation teacheth that 

 when plants of a succulent nature are deprived of their functions or 

 means of growing luxuriantly, they continue to deteriorate until their 

 juices become so corrupt, that they not only die, but contaminate the 

 earth in which they were planted, to the destruction of their neighbour- 

 ing inmates of the garden or field ; and even potato tubers, after being 

 taken from the earth, will injure those which come in contact with them 

 by the emission of their corrupt juices 



Mr. Teschemacher, in a communication published in " the New 

 England Fanner," observes, " That the potato decays previous to the 

 appearance of worms, and that worms are never found in the sound 

 part of the potato either eating their way in, or depositing their eggs, 

 nor have 1 seen the worms in that part of the potato in which the 

 fungus have already commenced vegetating; it is only in the rotten 

 part that the worms exist after the fungus has caused the decay. These 

 worms are uniform, and appear to be of the same species from whatever 

 cause the decay may arise." 



It is precisely the case with other kinds of vegetables, and also with 

 fruit; and it is evident that all those worms, insects, and reptiles which 

 prey upon the vegetable family, are more partial to that particular kind 

 of vegetable matter which first generated them, than to any other; hence 

 the Peach insects feed on its fruit in embryo, as well as in a state of, 

 and even beyond maturity ; the Cabbage worms also prey on plants of 

 the same genera or species ; and when those enemies of the vegetable 

 family cannot obtain the parts which are the most palatable to them, 

 or congenial to their nature, they will feed upon diseased trees, plants, 

 or other matter, which contain similar juices, or nutriment, in prefer- 

 ence to any other description of food. 



It is generally allowed that the early planted potatoes have for the 

 last two years, yielded as well as usual, and that they have been of 

 very superior quality. It is only the late crops which are complained 

 of. Now, it must be admitted that if the seed potatoes planted in June 

 or July, whether raised here, or imported, had been diseased, they would 

 have shown it at the time of their being cut and prepared for planting, 

 as it is notorious that the discovery of defect is generally made at the 

 time of gathering the crop, or soon after they are heaped together. 



