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the lookout; they are keeping it out as our own authorities at present are 

 keeping out cholera, the plague, yellow fever, etc. It need scarcely be said 

 that between the potato plant and the potato bug there exists the relation- 

 ship of host and disease. The potato bug in its destrucive action on the 

 plant may be considered the disease ; it will destroy the plant just as the 

 potato-rot destroys it. Before the cause of the potato-rot was recognized 

 it was looked upon as a Aasitation, just as many of the human diseases 

 were looked upon. 



This fall the newspapers contained an occasional item regarding the 

 spread of the potato-rot or potato disease. Just now- the disease seems to 

 be prevalent in some parts of Europe, destroying outright large potato fields 

 in the course of a few daj'S. Such an epidemic is a great calamity ; it has 

 been such in times past. It seems to be only a matter of time until the 

 disease will reach our State. This disease seems to be at home originally in 

 South America on the wild plants, but plants were few and far apart. 

 When the potato is grown in masses this fungus disease naturally spreads 

 very rapidly from one plant to another and from one field to another. 



But it was noticed that after an epidemic a few plants survived. By 

 taking these survivors and cultivating them a more and more resistant 

 strain has been produced. One can thus speak of disease proof potatoes, 

 just as we can speak of disease proof individuals, for instance, the negroes 

 on the west coast of Africa, who are constantly exposed to malaria and are 

 quite immune. 



In the life of every individual there are periods that stand out. We 

 need only think of such statements as "Before I went to college", or 

 "Before I got married". Similar periods or landmarks stand out in the 

 life of a community, as "Before w"e had paved streets" or "Before we had 

 filtered water". We can likewise speak regarding the introduction of 

 weeds and pests and parasities and diseases, as the days "before the 

 potato bug". 



Perhaps in tracing analogies one might mention the coming to our 

 country of such diseases as Ijifluenza and Asiatic Cholera. In earlier 

 years, when the country was thinly settled, many escaped, and, on account 

 of poor traveling facilities, diseases traveled slowly. Influenza has trav- 

 eled more rapidly each time i( appeared and attacked a greater number of 

 people, because they are now living closer together. There are regions 

 today, especially islands in the ocean, whore some of our common diseases 

 have not yet been }ntrodvice4: 



