362 [Assembly 



The above must then contradict many of the theories which have 

 been advanced as to the cause or origin of the disease. It cannot 

 be owing to any degeneration in the plant itself, to any corruption or 

 exhaustion of the land, or from over dunging as some imagine. 



If you think this letter worthy of insertion as throwing any light 

 (if it be only of a negative character) upon the question of the potato 

 disease, either by settling disputeii theories, or by preventing farmers 

 from taking useless precautions or vain experiments, it is at your 

 service for insertion. I enclose my card and address, and amsir, &c. 



Manchester, England, February 5th." 



Mr. Ellsworth, who resides in Connecticut, and a member of our 

 Committee, but who has not been able to attend our meetings, oblig- 

 ingly sent us some facts and remarks by letter on the subject, which 

 are important, and the more so as they are recent and the result of 

 observation oe his farm and in his neighborhood. He is an intelli- 

 gent practical man, of great accuracy and discrimination in all 

 matters, and especially of this kind. 



(Letter.) 



I can give you a few facts in relation to the potato, but as I re- 

 marked in the convention after all that I have read, heard and ob- 

 served, I think that neither the cause or cure are understood. Hence 

 the importance of continuing enquiry after facts, which should be 

 carefully recorded with the hope, that from them may be found the 

 cause or cure; the facts which I have to add, are as follows: As 

 early as our warmest upland was in condition to plow and plant, last 

 spring I planted a small piece for early potatoes; the ground had 

 been used as a garden, was in good heart, and a small portion of 

 barn-yard manure was put in the hill; the soil rather inclined to 

 light sand, the crop ripened early, was good; and I have not found 

 a bad potato in the piece. The kind was the early blue. The sec- 

 ond piece planted about ten or twelve days later — soil the same — 

 manured as the first piece — seed, Mercers; the crop was good, and 

 a very few defective from that piece; possibly one in a hundred bad. 

 Perhaps a week later I planted a third piece, and after that a fourth 

 piece, part with Mercers, part with Scotch Greys and a few Carters. 



When dug there was no appearance of bad potatoes in the tl.ird 

 piece; but a few days after thry were housed, we found many bad 

 potatoes, perhaps an eighth which I carefully picked out and threw 



