POTATO ROT. 665 



agree substantially with Mr. Dawson, that propagating from the 

 bulb or tuber continuously, for a great length of time, will 

 cause a degeneracy and failure in the health and soundness of 

 the plant, the seed of which should once in a few years be 

 renewed from the ball ; and once in many years, if possible, 

 from the native place of the plant, in South America. Mr. F. 

 recommends planting on dry, sandy soil ; or if moist soil only 

 can be obtained, on layers of chopped straw, in the hill. The 

 straw will protect against excess of wet, make the soil better, 

 and contribute to the nourishment and health of the potato. 



Freeman, G. M., York, Me. Remedy. — Charcoal dust, two 

 parts ; wood ashes, two parts ; slacked lime, One part ; apply 

 one quart per hill, which is manure sufficient in any virgin 

 soil suitable for the potatoes ; viz., two thirds under the seed 

 and top of the hill at planting : the remainder (without the 

 lime), around the plants when fully grown. 



Gale, N. H., New York, N. Y. Essay of eleven pages, con- 

 taining some good common sense. He supposes the rot to be 

 a disease in the potato, as the cholera is in the human race ; 

 " and that the awful ravages, in each, result from like causes ; — 

 in the potato, from its weak, sickly, exhausted condition, aris- 

 ing from erroneous cultivation ; — in man, from his intemper- 

 ance, debauchery, and a like broken constitution." He supposes 

 the rot in a measure contagious, affecting the neighboring 

 vines ; and recommends procuring the seed for planting, as far 

 distant as possible from the place of disease ; and then to plant 

 none but large, fair, whole potatoes, Like Mr. Dadd, he abhors 

 the practice of planting cut potatoes, or pieces, as well as whole 

 ones, of an inferior quality. 



Grothie, Charles, Milwaukie, (German). Is lost in gener- 

 alities. He is too little acquainted with the English language 

 to be intelligible. 



Haines, Herman, Cannonsburg, Pa., asks for information but 

 conveys none. 



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