NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



339 



ey. When the earth is worked more than it is 

 fed, it will grow poor. And here I must urge up- 

 on you to give your sons the means and the time 

 for informiiig themselves in knowledge. Let them 

 give their attention to those sciences which now 

 offer assistance to the farmer in his calling, and 

 when they have devoted their leisure time to study 

 for a few years, I doubt not I sliall have thehappi- 

 ess of seei ng them among the most successful and 

 prosperous cultivators of the soil. c. 



Mason, N. H., Sept., 1851. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 POTATO ROT. 



The mystery still hangs over the cause of the 

 destructive disease in potatoes. One individual 

 thinks it to be green lice; another that it is black 

 bugs; and another that it is a worm in the stalk. — 

 With all proper respect to lice, bugs and worms, I 

 think they could neither of them breed a pestilence 

 among potatoes. 



Learning that the disease had made its appear- 

 ance in various places, a few days ago I examined 

 my potatoes, to see if I could make any important 

 discovery. Most of the ground had not been ma- 

 nured this season, except with salt; and where it 

 had received nothing upon it, 1 have not found a 

 single diseased potato. In a piece which was ma- 

 nured from under a stable, and where there was a 

 very large growth, there I found the tubers decay- 

 ing. This was nearly or quite three weeks since, 

 but the tops continue green, even until now, except 

 as they are now generally becoming yellow by ap- 

 parently natural ripening; all except in cases to be 

 noticed. 



The most indications of decay were in the lower 

 leaves of the stalks of some hills; and in a very 

 few instances the tips of small and tender vines were 

 decaying. 



Results of Exami nation. — The first result of my 

 examination was relative to the commencement of 

 disease in the tuber. Two varieties or kinds of po- 

 tatoes were examined, with the same result. The 

 disease has no apparent partiality for any particular 

 part of the tuber upon which to begin; sometimes 

 it fastens upon the blow end, then again on the stem 

 end, or upon the side, or in the eyes; no matter 

 where, it can begin here as well as there. Li the 

 examination of a white potato, some small specks 

 were discovered upon the surface, which, upon ex- 

 amination, were found to be forihy matter from be- 

 neath the skin. The color of the tuber remained 

 unchanged, where this matter was wet. By scrap- 

 ing off the skin, a small hole through the skin was 

 discovered, of the size of a very small pin. Lnme- 

 diately beneath this was found a rotten place, in 

 some not larger than a pin-head, in the substance 

 of the tuber; and aiound it, immediately under the 

 skin, the appearance of disease extended farther. — 

 Li some instances the frothy specks were found to 

 be of a dry, woolly appearance, and immediately 

 under them the tuber was found to be in the second 

 stage of disease, the flesh of the tuber of a darker 

 appearance 



These facts seemed to agree with my former 

 opinions upon the subject, that the disease begins 

 in a fermentation of the most tender parts of the tu- 

 ber. It is evident that the tuber is formed after the 

 same manner that a tree grows; that is, the sap 

 forms a growth of wood, by union of the necessary 



properties, immediately under the bark. A potato 

 grows by laying on, in the same way. Of this I 

 think I am not mistaken. In this forming-substance 

 of the tuber the disease commences. The skin gen- 

 erally adheres much more firmly to a ripe potato, 

 or one that grows very slowly. 



Upon examining some blue tubers, the first effect 

 of disease impaired the coloring of the skin. Here 

 was an indication of an acid destroying the vegeta- 

 ble blue. The coloring matter of the red potatoes 

 would be stronger to resist its action. They would 

 be more likely to retain their color until the second 

 stage of disease. 



It is often the case that potatoes have been dug 

 without any appearance of disease in the tops or in 

 the tubers; but after a little time they would rot 

 badly. This creates a difficulty in the way of my 

 supposing the disease to originate in the vines or 

 tops. 



It is evident that were the vines grow rapidly, 

 and are very tender and juicy, there the tubers 

 would grow in a similar manner. In such instan- 

 ces, as much experience shows, there is greater 

 liability to rot. 



In some kinds, the vines are very green for a 

 long time, as the long reds, but their growth is so 

 gradual that they are very hardy. 



Late planted potatoes grow more rapidly, and 

 they are more tender and liable to disease. 



Further ideas must be omitted until another time. 



Mason, N. H., Sept., 1851. c. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 EGGS AND BEST MARKET FOWLS. 



Mr. Cole : — Having just read an article from 

 W. C, a Stonington gentleman, headed -'Fowl 

 Facts," I offer a few words in reply. In the first 

 place, your correspondent says that, "in these days 

 of hen fever, there is a good deal of theorizing and 

 baseless speculation," &c., which I will by no 

 means pretend to deny; for I know it to be a fact 

 that almost every one who deals in fowls will tell 

 you that the peculiar kind which he happens to 

 have the most to dispose of, are as.suredly the best 

 in the country. I, however, know of some excep- 

 tions. 



Mr. C. then inquires if there "can be no stand- 

 ard of fowl excellence invented, by which a man 

 may know what is the best stock for producing 

 poultry, and what the best for producing eggs'?" 

 I think that by carefully experimenting with all 

 the different kinds of fowls, s'uch a standard could 

 be raised, but at no little expense and inconvenience 

 to the experimenter. I do not pretend that I have 

 found the standard, or shall. Nor am I able to 

 state what amount of eggs, either in number or 

 weight, any of my hens have ever laid in a year; 

 nor the average weight of my mixed fowls. But 

 what I stated before I will repeat; that having kept 

 nearly all kinds common to this country, I J;now 

 that the pure Black Spanish fowls are decidedly 

 the most profitable I have seen to keep as layers. 



And I also know that the S))anish crossed with 

 the iVsiatic are the best for carli/ marketing that I 

 have ever seen. 



The above- is simply my experience; other ex- 

 perimenters may view the subject differently; if so, 

 I for one would be most happy to hear their deci- 

 sion. Yours truly, John DiMON. 



Waliefield. R. I., Sept. 15, 1851. 



