NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



19 



disease is in the atmosphere, not in the soil. 

 There appears to me to be something else than 

 sound reasoning in all this. 



Every observing man knows that in an uneven 

 field, made up of knolls and hollows, the disease 

 will begin in the hollows before it will upon the 

 knolls, and yet, if the pestilence sweeps over the 

 land in the moving atmosphere, it would be likely 

 to strike the knolls first. Certainly, potatoes 

 growing upon knolls are more subject to atmos- 

 pheric influences. And certainly, they are less 

 subject to disease. 



CARBONIC ACID GAS. 



This invisible agent is composed of carbon and 

 oxygen gas. The burning of charcoal in a close 

 room will produce a room full of carbonic acid gas ; 

 and no breathing being can live in it. A room 

 newly plastered and kept close until it dries, no 

 man can live in. 



Carbonic acid gas is heavier than atmospheric 

 air, and when much of it is generated in the soil, it 

 will flow into the lowest places, while from its 

 weight, it will mingle but little with the atmos- 

 phere. In deep pits, old wells, &c, it sometimes 

 collects so as to be destructive to animal life, im- 

 mediately when it is breathed. It accumulates in 

 badly ventilated cellars, where there are old casks 

 and a damp air, or where the decomposition of 

 vegetable matter is going on. 



In such cellars, and on such low spots of ground, 

 highly manured, or in other ways prepared to pro- 

 duce much of it, there the potato is most liable to 

 disease. This is a matter of fact and not mere 

 speculation. 



Clean and well ventilated cellars, where no old 

 casks are rotting, are those for health. 



In the warm and wet weather, in dog-days, it is 

 sometimes the case that so much carbonic acid is 

 generated in forests and fields, that during a heavy 

 fall cf rain, accompanied with some winds, the 

 atmosphere will become charged with this gas to a 

 perceptible degree. One will feel as though he 

 breathed something unusual, and will perspire 

 very rapidly when doing but little labor. A man 

 may go into an old filthy cellar, where carbonic acid 

 has been collected, and he will feel and perspire in 

 the same way, under the same amount of exercise. 



When such a state of the weather comes on, in 

 the latter part of summer, it is common to hear the 

 most observing among farmers, saying one to anoth- 

 er, " This weather is the right kind to bring on 

 the potato rot; " and so it has been abundantly 

 proved to farmers. 



REMEDIES. 



Whatever will absorb the gases which serve to 

 produce the evil, or moderate the decomposition of 

 vegetable matter during the particular season of 

 danger, will prove a remedy for the disease. 



Lime may be used under such circumstances as 

 only to stimulate the soil, and hasten the decom- 

 position of vegetable matter. In such case, on 

 very rich, or highly manured grounds, it will be 

 dangerous to the potato. Applied in a caustic 

 state about the beginning of the period when the 

 soil and manure is most active, it will absorb the 

 carbonic acid necessary to constitute it to the car- 

 bonate of lime. The application to the surface 

 would, perhaps, be as well for this purpose. 



Ashes, in the possessed amount of alcaline prop- 

 erty, may be so applied as to stimulate the soil, as 



was remarked of lime, and in such circumstances 

 would be alike injurious. When applied, howev- 

 er, so as to neutralise acids, on moderately active 

 soil, they will be beneficial. 



Plaster, (sulphate of lime,) absorbs the nitrogen 

 of saltpetre, (nitrate of potash,) or takes the same 

 gas from the atmosphere, and holds it for the 

 potato, or any other plant that needs it to feed upon. 

 It is, generally, beneficial to the potato crop, and 

 whether there are any circumstances under which 

 it will be injurious, is not certain. It will not, 

 however, prevent the disease, under very unfavor- 

 able circumstances, if it is a remedy at all. 



Salt, which is a compound, in its first action 

 upon soil moderates decomposition, and is benefi- 

 cial to the potato ; but injurious to Indian corn. 



Charcoal, serves merely to absorb the rain-wateT, 

 and hold it until it is taken up by vegetation. It 

 therefore slightly moderates the decomposition of 

 the soil, aiding to equalize its condition duiing wet 

 and dry weather. It will, when free from other 

 substances and agents, serve some good purpose in 

 most soils. 



Carbonic acid is not properly a part of the at- 

 mosphere, but at certain seasons of the year is gen- 

 erated in so large quantities as to become mixed 

 with the gases of the atmosphere to an -extent 

 which produces great effects, and the breathing of 

 men and animals throws out enough to make sen- 

 sible men dread the effects of confinement, for 

 sleep or any thimg else, in small tight rooms. 



We beg pardon for intruding so long upon the 

 reader's attention, and perhaps the Jength of this 

 article will deter some from reading it. 



Being an interested student in the school of 

 agriculture, it has been my desire to bring out from 

 others as much light as possible, and, therefore 

 have touched many points. c. 



Mason, N. H., Nov. 18, 1851. 



Remarks. — The above is an exceedingly valua- 

 ble article, and worthy the careful consideration of 

 every reader — farmer or not. We think we fully 

 understand the writer when he says that " the eoo- 

 cess of carbonic acid, not its presence in any quan- 

 tity, is that to which we attribute the prevailing 

 disease." And this is a point to which we call 

 especial attention, as there is danger of rejecting 

 charcoal as a fectilizer, in the fear that it may be 

 injurious to the potato crop. It is not the charcoal, 

 but the large amount of carbonic acid produced in 

 its rapid decomposition by burning, that is injurious. 



For the New England Farmer 



EFFECT OF SALT WATER UPON TREES 

 AND SHRUBS. 



BY S. P. FOWLER. 



I thought it would be interesting to publish in 

 the Farmer some facts in regard to the effects of 

 salt water upon trees, shrubs and plants, caused 

 by the flowing of the tide over a portion of my 

 garden, in the great storm of April 16th, 1851. 

 Such opportunities for noticing the inundations of 

 the sea seldom occur. The garden was over- 

 flowed by the water about three hours, and the 

 roots were laid bare by the motion of the waves, 

 so that it became necessary to cover them with 

 earth. Two Isabella and two fox grape vines 



