No. 3. 



Failure of the Potatoe Crop. 



95 



TurnbuWs arlificial Guano {siijiposed.) — 

 Sulphate of soda, 224 lbs.; sulphate of am- 

 monia, 224; carbonate of soda, 112; bones, 

 partly dissolved, 1G80. 



There were used, in comparison with 

 guano and farm-_yard manure, on Swedish 

 turnips, by Mr. Fleming: — 



* Guano is estimated at six dollars the hundred weight. 



It appears from this experiment that Mr.' 

 Fleming's mixture, at less than half the 

 price, produced a gain nearly equal to half, 

 that of the guano, and that it is better than 

 Mr. Turnbull's. I 



In both these composts, and in that recom-j 

 mended by Professor Johnson, there is not ai 

 sufficient amount of ammonia. The follow-' 

 ing more nearly resembles guano: Sulphate 

 of ammonia, 30 lbs.; bones dissolved in mu- 

 riatic acid, 30; fine ashes, 50; dried animal: 

 matter, prepared in powder, with humus,i 

 100. The whole to be mixed intimately,' 

 and applied in several parcels, as a substi- 

 tute for one cwt. of guano. The prepared 

 animal matter may be obtained in the fol-| 

 lowing manner: Let the flesh, fish, blood, | 

 &c., be dried by a stove, and then cut or, 

 bruised as far as possible ; make a heap,' 

 with very fine mould, the animal matter: 

 and caustic lime, laying them together: 

 lightiy^ and exposing to the air under a shed.! 

 If any putrefaction occurs, add more lime:! 

 in a short time, depending upon the weather,! 

 the whole will be reduced to a powder. — i 

 Care must be taken that the animal sub- 

 stance is well dried. Shavings of horn, 

 bones, wool, &lc., require more time for dis' 

 integration.-^i\'eif) York Farmer and Me 

 chanic. 



the same manner, great suffering, as well 

 as loss, must ensue." — Greevfield {Mass.) 

 Democrat. 



The failure of the potatoe crop seems to 

 be universal throughout the Northern States. 

 In this vicinity scarcely any will be pre- 

 served. The Barre Gazette says : " Nearly 

 or quite the entire crop of potatoes in this 

 region is lost. When dug, they are found 

 to be diseased and rotten. Some have been 

 dug early, and placed in the cellar in an ap- 

 parently sound condition, and in a few days 

 found to be decaying fast. They appear, to 

 sight and smell, as if rotten. Several of 

 our farmers have commenced ploughing 

 them in, in the field. VVe lefirn that the 

 difficulty extends to all the region about us. 

 It is said some hogs have died after being 

 fed with them. No reasonable cause is 

 given for this singular occurrence. Should 

 the crop fail throughout New England in 



Disease among Potatoes. — We have se- 

 veral times alluded to the disease among 

 potatoes. The same disease is noticed in 

 the Amherst Express, Pittsfield Sun, and 

 Bridgeport (Ct.) Farmer. It appears to be 

 very extensive, and this crop in many towns 

 is nearly destroyed. We have a field of 

 "Mercers," that have nearly all rotted, 

 while "Carters" adjoining, appear much 

 less injured. A writer in the last Pittsfield 

 Sun, remarks: "As yet, I believe no one 

 has accounted for this di-sease. On examin- 

 ing my own field, I find that each remaining 

 green leaf is covered with small insects, 

 about the size of the house flea, very black, 

 which fly off* when disturbed. The tender 

 parts of the leaves appear to have been 

 eaten, which may account for the prema- 

 ture decay of the tops." — Northamjjlon 

 {Mass.) Democrat. 



Diseased Potatoes. — We learn from 

 several farmers, that their potatoes are dy- 

 ing, and that their crop will be almost an 

 entire failure. We have seen several fields, 

 mostly of the pink-eye variety, where the 

 tops were dead. The potatoes probably not 

 more than half grown. What is the cause 

 of this, we do not know. The season here 

 has been favourable for the crop. We have 

 noticed among some early potatoes we have 

 raised, that a considerable portion are affected 

 with the disease, which proved so disastrous 

 to the potatoe crop in this country and in 

 England, last year. We invite the attention 

 of correspondents to this subject, and hope 

 to hear from them in our next number. — 

 Central N. Y. Fanner. 



Disease among Potatoes — We have 

 noticed throughout the country, that pota- 

 toes show siyns of premature decay. The 

 vines generally hold green until the first 

 frost; but this year the \ines of seme entire 



