POTATO ROT. 657 



the greater number of practical men are well acquainted with 

 them. The principal are wet and undrained soils, wet seasons, 

 wet weather after warm, dry weather, when the tops are fully 

 grown ; chilly nights succeeding hot days, rank manure in con- 

 tact with the sets, want of attention to keeping the crop well 

 tilled and free from weeds, run-out seed long cultivated on the 

 same farm. These and similar causes have evidently had an 

 important influence in locally developing the disease, but 7ione 

 of them can he its general cause, since the disease often appears 

 where all are absent, and these causes were quite as general as 

 now, in former times, without producing any such consequence 

 as the potato blight. Some valuable hints, however, as to the 

 best palliatives or temporary remedies for the disease, can be 

 derived from these causes, in connection with the experience 

 of farmers. Of these, the following are very important 



Remedies or Palliat ves. 



1. Early planting, and planting early roots ; because this 

 gives greater probability of avoiding the effects of autumnal 

 chills and rains. This remedy has been found very effectual 

 in Nova Scotia. 



2. Change of seed, especially from poor and cold localities, 

 to richer and milder situations. The Scottish low country 

 farmers have obtained excellent results by importing seed po- 

 tatoes from the bleak and poor highland districts. 



3. Selecting those varieties which have proved least liable 

 to the disease ; and these will generally be found to be such as 

 have been recently introduced, or lately procured from the seed. 



4. Planting in dry soils, and underdraining more moist 

 soils, if necessary to plant in them. The dry, sandy uplands 

 of King's County, in Nova Scotia, have almost entirely escaped 

 the disease, when the crop has been put in early. 



5. Applying well-rotted mamire, and plowing it i7i, instead 

 of putting it with the seed in the drills. Guano and composts 

 made with liquid mayuire, have proved themselves better than 

 stable manure. This and the two last remedial agents act by 

 giving the plants a greater degree of healthy, general vigor, 



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