POTATO ROT. 669 



An atmosphere charged with carbonic acid gas, as high as 8 

 or 12 per cent., would not support land-animal life, but would 

 help forward a luxuriant growth of land vegetables. The at- 

 mosphere now does not contain ^^V^ of this gas. 



HosKiNs, Cheney, Bel Air, Maryland, wants further informa- 

 tion. 



Irish, H. D., Turner, Me., thinks he has discovered the 

 cause of the disease in a small worm, half an inch long, which 

 he found in the stock, by cutting it off below where it was 

 withered. He is confident that the decay thus caused in the 

 stock descends to the tuber, and produces the disease, the rem- 

 edy of which may be quick-lime, if applied so as to touch the 

 worms. Or lime water, or dry lime will answer. 



Johnson, Micajah, T., Short Creek, Ohio, makes some good 

 suggestions, but they have been made substantially by others 

 — are well understood, and generally agreed upon ; such as 

 that the ground selected for planting, should be high and dry, 

 of a light quality and light color, where it is exposed to con- 

 stant or frequent breezes, and the heat is never excessive. Lo- 

 cations are unfavorable, where the sun is very hot by day, and 

 the nights are cool. These sudden changes from heat to cold 

 rupture the small vessels in the tuber, and cause the rot. 



Kentish, Charles A., New York, N. Y., " manufactures an 

 agricultural fertilizer," which he terms " prepared or artificial 

 guano," one of the virtues of which is to kill all insects and 

 prevent rot in potatoes. To prove its efficacy, he offers a certi- 

 ficate from G. Preant, White Plains, N. Y., saying : — " I have 

 used ' Kentish's prepared guano,' this season, on potatoes. 

 My crop was large and all sound. Where I did not use it, the 

 potatoes were all rotten and worthless. My neighbors also, 

 who have not used this fertilizer, have not raised a saleable po- 

 tato." 



Mr. K. proposes to furnish three or four barrels, enough for 

 an acre of potatoes, as a test. 



