NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



567 



rived from the air contribute most essentially to 

 animal life, and consequently growth ; and yet ac- 

 tual experience teaches us that the same law which 

 governs the animal kingdom in this respect, like- 

 wise applies to the vegetable. But, as I have up- 

 on another occasion expressed my views at some 

 length in this connection, I will argue the case no 

 further here. I venture to say, however, that I 

 am able, at any time, and as conclusively as may 

 be, to show that wood is equally at least the product 

 of water as of air. R. II. Howard. 



Burlington, Vt., Nov. 24, 1852. 



Remarks. — (a) Our corresponent is mistaken in 

 supposing that we were wrong in crediting the ar- 

 ticle which wc copied a few weeks ago in relation 

 to the "growth of trees," to "Exchange." It had 

 lost its paternity, and we were obliged to credit it 

 to an exchange, or he chargeable with plagiarism 

 ourselves. 



Your proposition is accepted. 



THE POTATO DISEASE. 



The Evening Post publishes some notes on this 

 subject, the result of the investigations of Mr. 

 Molloy, of Rochester Avenue, a magistrate of the 

 County of Dublin. It says : — According to Mr. 

 Molloy's explanation, there are two species or dis- 

 tinct types of the potato rot — one produced by at- 

 mospheric influence, and the other caused by aphis 

 or insects. In the case of that species of rot now 

 under consideration, there is a small insect of the 

 locust species, about the size and color of a flea, 

 and fully as rapid in its movements, and active in 

 its habits of concealment. This insect feeds upon 

 the under side of the leaf, and in the dusk of the 

 evening they can he seen in thousands committing 

 their depredations, but if the slightest touch be 

 given to the plant they instantly disappear. Wheth- 

 er they perforate the leaf has not been fully ascer- 

 tained, but Mr. Molloy has satisfied himself that 

 the spot they bite, when exposed to the sun, the 

 upperorsmooth surface of the leaf becomes marked 

 with a brown circle, which spreads day by day, 

 until the entire foliage becomes of the same color, 

 and destitute of every principle of vegetable life. — 

 But it is not alone in the utter ruin of the leaves 

 that the ravages of this minute locust are most de- 

 structive. Mr. Molloy has traced its operation 

 further. He has discovered that the insect de- 

 posits eggs which, after a few hours — perhaps a 

 day or two — exposure to the atmosphere, produce 

 larvae, so minute as to be almost imperceptible to 

 the naked eye, and these little creatures are so 

 rapid in their movements, and so subtle in pene- 

 trating the earth, that they are scarcely perceived 

 ere they disappear, so quick is the transition. — 

 This larvoe — a millipede — grows to the length of 

 about a sixteenth of an inch, and from the hour 

 it is disengaged from the shell to the period at 

 which it assumes the form and habits of the lo- 

 cust, it feeds upon the tuber, burrowing beneath 

 the surface, and leaving a poisonous deposit there, 

 which diffuses its pernicious agency throughout 

 the entire tuber, producing a dusky hardness, in 

 the first instance, and rottenness and fetid pulp af- 

 terwards ; so that this insect, whether in the lar- 

 vse or the locust state, is equally destructive to the 

 potato — in the latter it poisons and destroys the 



leaves, and in the former it poisons and destroys 

 the tuber. Mr. Molloy has been at considerable 

 pains in his inquiries as to the origin of the potato 

 disease, and it was not until lately that he discov- 

 ered the existence of this locust, which, in size, 

 form, structure, habits, subtilty of movement, 

 and evasion of detection, appears beyond all doubt 

 — at least to us — to lie a new creation in this 

 country of the insect tribe. We never before saw 

 anything like it, either in the larvre or the insect 

 state. From his investigation of their operations 

 and effects, he is perfectly satisfied that they are 

 tfi3 origin of that terrible calamity under which 

 this country has so deeply suffered. — Dublin Ex- 

 press. 



PRESERVATION OF DAHLIAS. 



The complaint is common that dahlias lose their 

 vitality during winter by dying or decay. The 

 truth is that many are overstocked with caution, 

 and "kill their bulbs by kindness." A person 

 who has sense enough to harvest a potato, and 

 preserve it during winter, need meet with no dis- 

 appointment by the failure of dahlias. To ensure 

 success, it is only necessary for the bulbs to be 

 properly ripened, and packed away in a dry, cool 

 place. The following will be found a good treat- 

 ment : 



As soon as the frost has blackened the tops, 

 draw the soil about the stocks to the depth of 

 three or four inches to prevent the freezing of the 

 tubers by any sudden change of weather. When 

 it becomes unsafe for them to remain longer in the 

 ground, say the last of October or first of Novem- 

 ber, select a pleasant day, cut the stocks an inch 

 above the surface, and with a spade carefully raise 

 the whole cluster of bulbs from their bed. They 

 are very tender when green, and care must be 

 exercised not to separate them from the crown. 

 When the soil becomes dry remove it, and pack 

 the roots on a shelf in the cellar ; simply cover- 

 ing them with a little dry sawdust or sand. The 

 bulbs ought not to be divided from the foot-stock 

 until the eyes report themselves in spring. — Ex- 

 eter News-Letter. 



ASHES, 



Ashes, according to the most accurate analysis, 

 contain a valuable proportion of sulphates, silicates, 

 phosphates and carbonates of lime, with phosphates 

 of potash, soda, lime and magnesia, together with 

 certain other substances in smaller yet important 

 quantities. An accurate and critical examination 

 of them also reveals the presence of a considerable 

 quantity of imperfectly constituted carbonaceous 

 matter, (charcoal.) In ashes, therefore, the scien- 

 tific reader will at once discover that we have all, 

 or nearly all the materials of which some plants, 

 and especially wheat, are composed. "It will 

 seem," remarks a distinguished writer on Agricul- 

 ture, "that ashes, mixed with the soil, will supply 

 the quarter part of the substance of wheat." We 

 are acquainted with several intelligent agricultur- 

 ists who refuse to dispose of their house ashes on 

 any terms. Formerly they were in the habit of 

 selling them at a merely nominal price — about one 

 shilling per bushel, and were glad to get rid of them 

 at that rate, but now they are willing to purchase 

 at twice that price. As a stimulent for Indian 

 corn, we consider ashes, of good quality, worth 

 fifty cents per bushel. As an ingredient in the 



