AEATMENT AND REMEDIES RECOMMENDED. 57 



the general increased produce of the plant than they appear 

 to have been in reference to the prevention of the disease. 

 It has also been recommended 1 to dry the potatoes intended 

 for seed purposes at a high temperature ; and it has also 

 been recommended to cut them into sets at the time of 

 lifting, and to dry them thoroughly by exposure to cold 

 currents of air. In either case, the abstraction of moisture 

 from the tuber would probably aid in arresting the pro- 

 gress of the disease ; and if the temperature were carried 

 sufficiently high (as its author, indeed, recommended), the 

 vitality of the germs of the disease might be destroyed, at 

 the risk, however, of the potato germ being placed in the 

 same condition. The ch enlists show us by their analyses 

 that the changes induced by the disease are clearly refer- 



were planted on the 9th of April in three divisions the chats, the cut sets 

 plain, and the cut sets sulphured- the rows were 24 inches apart, and the 

 plants set at 9-inch distances in the drill. On the 28th of August they were 

 lifted, the gross produce of each division weighed, and then the proportion of 

 sound and diseased tubers carefully ascertained. Of the whole potatoes (No. 1 ) 

 11 Ibs. were planted in a single row, which produced 54 Ibs. in all, 27^ Ibs. of 

 good, and 26g Ibs. of diseased tubers. Of lot No. 2 (cut sets plain), 20 Ibs. 

 were planted in three raws, the produce of which was 177^ Ibs. in all 

 103.^ Ibs. of good, aud 74 Ibs. of bad. Of lot No, 3 (cut sets sulphured), 

 20 Ibs. were planted in three rows, which produced 260i Ibs. in all 138 Ibs. 

 of good, and 122 5 Ibs. of diseased tubers. These results, therefore, give us in 

 round numbers a gross return of five to one on the seed where whole tubers 

 were used, or as the proportion of good to bad potatoes was equal, a return of 

 2| Ibs. of sound tubers for each pound planted. Where plain cut sets were 

 used we see a great increase, the gross return being as nine to one on the seed 

 used ; and as the proportion of good to bad is as four to three, we have a return 

 of 5g Ibs. of sound potatoes for each pound planted. When to these cut sets 

 sulphur was added we have a greater increase, the gross return being at thirteen 

 to one on the seed used, while the proportion of good to bad being as seven to 

 six, we have a return of nearly 7 Ibs. of sound tubers for each pound used in 

 planting. These results tend, I think, to show that it is better policy to use 

 the fully developed and matured tuber, than to adopt the too common practice 

 with farmers of planting the small undersized potatoes, for which they may 

 not have so ready a sale. In the mere quantity of seed required, one-third 

 was saved by using sets of matured tubers, while the addition of a small quan- 

 tity of sulphur to the cut surfaces of the sets appears to have added still more 

 to their beneficial returns." Agri. Qaz. for 1857, p. 679. 



1 Les Moyens de prevenir la Maladie dcs Pommes de Terre. Par A. R. C. 

 Bollman. St. Petersburg, 1853. 



