No. 216] 357 



be to give them credit for good feeling and suppress any harsh opin- 

 ion of their efforts, the one animates to new exertions, and the other 

 discourages and shuts the door perhaps against the true light or 

 remedy for the evil; which often in cases like this issues from the 

 humblest cottage or cabin in the land. The wisest then exclaim, 

 how strange how wonderful we could not have seen a thing so plain 

 and simple! 



To examine opinions and theories as to the causes of the disease, 

 and the proper remedies for it, whether they are probably the true 

 ones, especially when emanating from high sources, and fortified by 

 imposing names, is not only proper, but a duty of every good citizen, 

 provided it is done with courtesy and kindness. Otherwise the 

 public might suffer by remaining quietly under the disease, thinking 

 it incurable, or by useless, expensive and perhaps ruinous experi- 

 ments trying to cure it, which would be the case if the causes were 

 misconceived, or the remedy not the true one. Your Committee 

 after some reflection and examination of the features of this disease, 

 as it has appeared in the world in different years, think (and they 

 may be wrong,) that the cause or causes for it have not yet been 

 ascertained, nor the remedy to prevent it discovered. 



That the cause is not variableness of weather, or sudden changes 

 of temperature, as some have supposed, although these may aggravate 

 it where the seeds of decay previously existed. We think the potato 

 disease anomalous in its character, and has no parallel with the rots 

 or blights which have heretofore and do still attack, injure and more 

 or less destroy most plants, including this one in certain seasons. 

 Let us examine for a moment the last opinion of note that has been 

 gravely given to the public, as to the causes of the disease, and see 

 how far it accords with the character of it as here described, or 

 since its first appearance in the world. In doing this we flatter our- 

 selves we shall illustrate and confirm our positions as above stated, 

 and also show that the distinguished horticulturist to whom we 

 allude, leaves the public as much in the dark on the subject as any 

 of his learned cotemporaries who have preceded him in their attempts 

 to shed light upon it. 



Mr. Bridgman in his horticultural report for the last Fair of the 

 American Institute of this city, in speaking of the potato rot says: 

 "rottenness is the effect of deterioration, produced by the absence of 

 a living^ principle. In a certain stage of growth, cherries, after a 



