Notes and Gleanings. 163 



evidence has yet been adduced fully to warrant the bolief that fungi alone are the 

 cause of the disease, although it seemingly points in that direction. 



Plants have their parasitical animals as well as vegetables, and some of these 

 are capable of doing all the mischief complained of. It may be remembered, 

 while the potato-disease prevailed to such an extent as nearly to destroy that 

 esculent, many maintained, and with good show of reason, that it was caused by 

 an insect. Aphis vastaterj and this inference was derived from the fact that that 

 insect was frequently found on diseased plants : but the investigations of Mr. 

 Berkley conclusively proved, that, though often found upon the diseased vines, 

 they were not invariably met with, while the fungus Botrytis infestens was never 

 absent. So it might be in the case of the verbena ; for quite often the young leaves 

 present an appearance as if gnawed by such creatures as have been seen upon 

 them. But the question arises, Are those " mites " invariably met with on 

 diseased plants 1 If so, then it may fairly be presumed that they are the 

 cause of the disease ; otherwise we must look beyond for something else suffi- 

 cient to account for effects which we see produced. And there seems no view 

 so much in harmony with analogy as that which refers it to the ravages of one 

 or other of these minute fungi, which play so important a part in the wonderful 

 economy of Nature ; although, at the same time, the primary cause of all may 

 be constitutional debility, induced by long and unnatural modes of propagation 

 and culture. 



It would be well could a remedy be suggested for the evil complained of; but 

 this cannot be done. Our object has been rather to induce growers to give the 

 subject that attention it deserves, and to "tell their experience," so that by the 

 collecting of facts, and the thorough examination of these, a point may be 

 reached whence the whole ground could be more intelligibly surveyed, and, if 

 possible, a remedy provided. 



In the mean time, growers cannot do better than propagate from healthy 

 plants only, and, as far as in their power, provide all the conditions necessary 

 to healthy growth ; for no cure for the plague has .yet been found. Sulphur or 

 other ingredients, externally applied, can only be partial in their effects ; as the 

 seat of the disease is in as well as on the plant, and of course cannot be eradi- 

 cated by mere outside applications. But perhaps it can be held in check by 

 mixing recent-slacked lime with the mould in which they are potted, as well as 

 dusting the plants occasionally with it over the foliage, and standing them in the 

 greenhouse, where the roots will not be capriciously acted upon by fire-heat. 



New Haven, Conn. A. Veitch. 



Chinese Yam. — We see by our exchanges that an effort is now being made 

 to call public attention anew to the cultivation of this vegetable. We do not 

 object to this ; for we wish to have the experiment fairly tried ; but we must con- 

 fess that we think the writer of the following has presented its claims in some- 

 what extravagant terms. He says (and we quote from a correspondent of " The 

 Working Farmer") that "the crop, or produce of the root, is so great in China, 

 that he does not venture to state it, but feels satisfied, that, when its culture shall 

 have become fully understood (and surely there is none other that is more 



