146 MICEOSCOPIC FUNGI. 



contained in a letter addressed to Dr. Bellingliam, 

 and quoted by the Eev. M. J. Berkeley_,^^ leaves no 

 doubt of its identity : — ^^ During tlie months of 

 July and August (1844)_, we had repeated and 

 heavy showers^ with oppressive heat^ and an at- 

 mosphere strongly charged with electricity. To- 

 wards the close of the month of August I observed 

 the leaves to be marked with black spots^ as if ink 

 had been sprinkled over them. They began to 

 wither^ emitting a peculiar^ offensive odour ; and 

 before a fortnight the fields which had been singu- 

 larly luxuriant^ and almost rank^ became arid and 

 dried up^ as if by a severe frost. I had the pota- 

 toes dug out during the month of September^ when 

 about two-thirds were either positively rotten^ par- 

 tially decayed and swarming with worms^ or spotted 

 with brownish-coloured patches^ resembling flesh 

 that had been frost-bitten. These parts were soft 

 to the touch, and upon the decayed potatoes I 

 observed a whitish substance like mould.''^ 



Although this disease made its first appearance^ 

 in the middle of August^ 1845^ in the Isle of Wight^ 

 it had already appeared in Belgium in the same 

 year^ a month previously; and although it may 

 have been noticed in other British localities in 

 1844^ it was known in Canada and in St. Helena in 

 the same year to a far greater extent^ and in Liege 

 as early as 1S42. There are^ therefore^ good 



'^' Journal of Horticultural Society of Loudon, vol. i. p. 11. 



