THE POTATOE DISEASE. 1*25 



be serviceable to restore the health of a diseased plant, 

 not to arrest the malady at its commencement. 



(488.) Perhaps it would be advisable to return as far 

 as possible for a time to the cultivation of those plants 

 which most nearly approximate in character to the wild 

 plant ; especially as we find that wild plants in general, 

 and the assumed wild potatoe plant, resist much more 

 effectively the ravages of the disease than the more 

 highly cultivated varieties. 



(489.) It has been currently stated, that, by planting 

 potatoes in sand or peat, the disease has been lessened, 

 and probably it would be sound philosophy to place the 

 tuber under circumstances which may induce it to return 

 as far as possible towards its original condition. 



(490.) The exposure of the plant to a dry atmosphere, 

 to a good temperature, and to abundance of light, would 

 also doubtless assist in regenerating the plant, provided the 

 insect does not again come and injure it. 



(491.) Perhaps it might be advisable to allow the stalk 

 to grow from the tuber two or three inches high, and then 

 to detach it and use it as a set. By this plan we should 

 throw the potatoe plant for its resources upon the leaves, 

 and not upon the original set ; and, doubtless, by attend- 

 ing to other circumstances influencing the result, we 

 should thus place the plant in a good condition for regene- 

 rating its fibre. 



(492.) One potatoe tuber, upon this plan, would send 

 forth numerous shoots, and thus a great saving would be 

 effected in the amount of potatoes used for seed. We 

 may expect from the experiments of Marshall that this 

 course would lessen the produce, and, therefore, this 

 method would only appertain to the regeneration of the 



