1860. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



181 



it, so that our correspondents bless twice in their 

 labors — first themselves and then the reader. We 

 intended to say only this when Ave begun to write 

 — that we have recently received a large number 

 of excellent articles, with great thankfulness, and 

 that we shall use them as fast and as appropriate- 

 ly as "we can. 



For the New England Farmer. 



WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF THE POTATO 

 ROT? 



Mu. Editok : — I do not know that you want to 

 read or hear anything more upon this subject. You 

 may regard it as a question already decided by 

 the clearest and strongest possible evidence, by 

 ocular demonstration, and thvis placed beyond 

 the possibility of a doubt. Without wishing to 

 excite a doubt where no doubt ought to be enter- 

 tained, yet considering the importance of the ques- 

 tion, and the danger of being deceived and led 

 astray by outward appearances and pretended 

 causes, I would urge a more careful and thorough 

 examination into all the alleged facts and circum- 

 stances in the case. For, after all that has been 

 said and done upon this sul)ject, it is believed, 

 that the real cause of the rot still remains un- 

 known, and that the question is yet undecided. 

 That insects are not the cause of it, is very evi- 

 dent from the following reasons : 



1. So far as my knowledge extends in this lo- 

 cality, all the most delicate and early kinds of po- 

 tatoes, such as the Jackson Whites, and others of 

 like character, when planted very early, on rich 

 and mellov\f soil, entirely escape the rot, because 

 the tubers come to perfect maturity, and the tops 

 all die, before the season of the rot commences, 

 so that, afterwards, neither the blast nor the rot 

 afiects them. 



2. My second reason why insects cannot be the 

 cause of the rot, is, that if we plant in the same 

 field and in the same neighborhood, some of the 

 same kinds of potatoes, alluded to above, at the 

 usual time of planting, that is, a few weeks later, 

 we shall find that they will blast and rot, if it be 

 a year in which the rot prevails generally. 



3. My third reason why insects cannot be the 

 cause of the rot, is the fact, that the blast and rot 

 do not occur every year, but only take place in 

 intermittent years ; whereas, if they were caused 

 by insects, they would have to take place every 

 year in order to give the insects an opportunity 

 to propagate their species : otherwise this partic- 

 ular kind of insects would become extinct. 



4. My fourth reason why insects cannot be the 

 cause of the rot, is, that the disease does not man- 

 ifest itself in all places equally, or alike, but is 

 confined to certain localities, more frequently to 

 lov/, wetlands, and soils highly enriched by active, 

 concentrated and stimulating manures, and ex- 

 tending along one side of a field, or across one 

 end, or through the middle, and not over the 

 whole field generally. 



5. My fifth reason why insects cannot be the 

 cause of the rot, is, that however widely, exten- 

 sively and generally the blast prevails, it frequent- 

 ly turns out to be nothing but a mere blast which 

 kills the tops and checks the growth of the tubers, 

 but leaves them all smooth and bright, and, to all 

 appearance, entirely unaffected by disease, which 



would not, and could 'not be the case, if the blast 

 were caused by insects on the tubers. 



6. My sixth reason why insects cannot be the 

 cause of the rot, is the fact, that all kinds of po- 

 tatoes are not alike aff"ected by the disease, but, 

 on the contrary, some kinds are entirely exempt- 

 ed from it ; such is the fact Avith regard to the 

 black potato and some others. 



7. My seventh and last reason why insects can- 

 not be the cause of the rot, is the "fact, that the 

 potato rot always manifests itself, if at all, at a 

 particular time, within the limits of a few days, 

 Avhich time is always preceded by the most re- 

 markable thermal changes in the stale of the at- 

 mosphere — by a few days of extremely hot and dry 

 weather, succeeded by copious, Avarm rains, and 

 accompanied by an oppressive, sultry and mifggy 

 atmosphere. 



Such are my reasons for disbelieving that in- 

 sects are the cause of the potato rot. Though I 

 have offered but seven reasons, and I believe 

 them all to be true and valid ones, yet, if only 

 one of them shall stand the test of examination, 

 and prove to be true, the insect system is as "dead 

 as a door nail." I freely admit, that I have no 

 microscopic glasses to look through to aid my vis- 

 ion ; but, if I had, I do not think I should become 

 a convert to the insect system, because Avhat is 

 noAV regarded as a cause of the disease, may be 

 only a concomitant of it, or that Avhich follows of 

 course. For instance, because I have found some 

 decayed and decaying vegetables full of insects, 

 must I therefore infer that the insects are the 

 cause of the decay ? Or becauso I have found a 

 dead sheep full of maggots, must I therefore infer 

 that the maggots have killed the sheep ? You 

 Avill readily perceive from the foregoing, that I re- 

 gard the insects as an effect or consequence of the 

 disease, and not as the cause of it. I repeat, 

 therefore, that the cause still remains unknown ; 

 the question is yet undecided? 



Warwick, Mass., 1860. John Goldsbuey. 



For the New England Fanner. 

 B.O'W TO RAISE GEESE. 



Mr. Editor : — I recently found some inquiry 

 in the Farmer about raising geese, and as I am 

 an old hand at it, I thought I Avould re])ly. When 

 they commence laying, Avhich is usually April or 

 May, a box with bran or cotton on the bottom 

 should be provided, so that the eggs aviU not roll 

 about. As often as there is an e^g laid in the box, 

 the rest of the eggs should be turned over very 

 carefully. When the goose is done laying, and 

 Avants to set, she Avill make her nest, feather it, 

 and set on it ; the nest should then be taken out 

 very carefully, and a nest made Avith about four 

 quarts of horse manure and some chaff" on that ; 

 let it be made large and commodious, and then 

 lay the nest that the goose made on the other very 

 carefully, not disturbing the straAV nor feathers. 

 Fill in all around the nest, making it about level, 

 so that the goose can go on and off'Avith case. 



The goose sets four Aveeks ; mind the time cor- 

 rectly. Tavo or three days previous to the time of 

 hatching, place the eggs in a broad, deep thing, 

 Avith milk-Avarm Avater enough to let them SAvim, 

 and those that have live goslings in them will bob 

 round and swim, and those that have not. AA-ill 



