MR. newiial:/s address. 15 



portion of the upper cnrl of the car will be v.ithout grain. To sup- 

 ply this deficiency, suckers successively spring up from the root, and 

 afford a supply of the fertilizing material for the cars that mav be 

 produced for two or three weeks after the main stock is dead. On 

 the male blossons from the suckers, therefore the greatness of the 

 crop very much depends. 



In relation to the origin of the disease which has so disastrously 

 affected the potato plant, no satisfactory cause has yet been discov- 

 ered. Some facts having connection with the subject have come 

 under my observation. One is, that the disease is not continued 

 from one year to another by diseased tubers ; for plants which have 

 been grown from potatoes almost entirely decayed, have produced 

 healthy and sound crops. Another is, that new varieties produced 

 from the seed were even more affected by the rot than old varieties. 

 This, I think, goes to show that the malady must arise from some 

 other cause, than the long-continued cultivation of varieties, without 

 being renewed from seed. 



The best means of insuring a healthy crop is to plant early sorts 

 early in the season. When we see whole fields struck down in the 

 short space of a day or two, whatever may be the pre-disposing 

 cause, we cannot but think the disease to be of atmosj)hcric influ- 

 ence. We may reas(?l'iably hope the malady will ere long pass a- 

 way, and the potatoe again flourish with its former vigor. 



Aside from the disease, I would remark that the practice of plant- 

 ing the largest and over-ripened potatoes, has a tendency to enfee- 

 ble the plant and shorten the crop. While all seeds perfectly rip- 

 ened produce the best plants, it ought to be remembered that a po- 

 tato is not a seed. While therefore, "well ripened potatoes are the 

 finest for the table, they are the least fit to plant. A potato per- 

 fectly ripened has lost much of its vegetative power, and when 

 planted, sends up feeble shoots, and frequently produces a small 

 crop, whereas such as have not arrived at maturity in the autumn, 

 •when planted in the spring, come up strong and vigorous plants, and 

 produce large and better crops. 



I would call the attention, and press upon the minds of young 

 men, — the farmers' sons, — the importance of knowledge, and that 

 knowledge which is indispensable to a successful prosecution of their 

 calling. They happily have opportunity for improvement during 

 the evenings of winter which young men who labor in mechanical 



