SOL 



beiDg expended, worn out, and wortWefs, may alfo be re- 

 ftored, in fome inflances at leaft, to their original or primary 

 vigour and importance by attention in this way. 



Thus, by preparing proper tubers in the preceding year 

 for planting out crops in the fucceeding one, great utility 

 may be produced in the garden cuhivation of this root, as 

 well as in the field. 



In the fame TranfaAions, in fpeaking of the preventmg 

 of the curl, the able prefident remarks, that the rough and 

 uneven furface of the leaf in this plant, which, in excefs, 

 indicates, and indeed conftitutes, the difeafed ilate known 

 by the above name, feems to exift in, and to form an ef- 

 fential charafteriftic, of every good variety of the potatoe ; 

 as he has never met with a fingle variety of the perfeflly 

 fmooth polifhed-leaved kind that poffeffed any degree of ex- 

 cellence. And it is endeavoured to be proved, that this 

 rough and crumpled flate of the leaf probably originates in 

 the preternaturally infpiffated or thickened ftate of the fluid, 

 in the firm and farinaceous potatoe. Such varieties, how- 

 ever, as have fmooth and polifhed leaves, are, it is faid, in 

 general, the moil produftive, and grow in the moft luxuriant 

 manner, which, it is thought, partly fliews, that the fmooth 

 leaf is a more perfeft and efficient organ than the rough one ; 

 the latter indicating, it is fuppofed, fome degree of approxi- 

 mation to difeafe. 



It is dated, that by planting potatoes of an early variety 

 in the fame foil from which a crop of the fame variety had 

 been taken in the month of July, a fecond crop was pro- 

 cured. But the tubers produced by thofe laft planted, were 

 found to be much more foft and watery, when boiled, than 

 others of the fame variety, and confequently greatly inferior 

 in value for all cuhnary purpofes ; they were on that account 

 kept for future planting. It was inferred, on the principles 

 that had been laid down, that the organizable matter thefe 

 contained, being in a lefs firm and concrete ftate, it would 

 prove more difpofeable, and that in the fucceeding feafon, 

 plants of ftronger growth, and more fmooth and perfeft 

 foliage, might confequently be expefted. The refult proved 

 the inference to be every way true : the plants prefented 

 the appearance of a different variety, and afforded a more 

 abundant crop and larger tubers than had ever before been 

 obtained from the fame variety. This trial was, it is faid, 

 confined to a fingle very early kind, which had previoufly 

 produced partially curled leaves ; but, it is fuppofed, the 

 fame method of management will prove equally advantageous 

 with other varieties, which fhew fimilar indications of in- 

 cipient difeafe. 



If this reafoning and mode of culture fhould turn out 

 to be correft and well founded, they may be of great ufe 

 in bettering and promoting the growth of this fort of valu- 

 able root. 



By other -writers this difeafe in the potatoe plant has, 

 however, been fuppofed to arife in other ways, and to be of 

 a very different kind ; and it is ftated, that Mr. Dickfon, 

 in the Tranfaftions of the Caledonian Horticultural Society, 

 conceives it to originate in debility, arifing from the too 

 great ripenefs of the tubers, and in the parent plant having 

 too much expended itfelf in affording blofToms and feeds, 

 as well as tubers. In proof of which, the very curious faft 

 is related, that a cutting taken from the extremity, which 

 is moft firm and farinaceous, of a long or kidney-fhaped 

 potatoe, will afford difeafed plants, while another cutting 

 taken from the oppofite end of the fame potatoe, will pro- 

 duce perfeftly healthy plants. 



But it is thought by Mr. Knight, that this opinion can- 

 not be acceded to, as it is not to be fuppofed, that a plant 

 which is a native of fuch a climate as the potatoe, can evsr 



SOL 



be over-ripened in fo northern a fituation ; befides, thofe 

 varieties which never afforded either blofToms or feeds, have 

 in his garden been quite as fubjecl to the difeafe as others. 

 Nor is it believed that the buds of the firm farinaceous ex- 

 tremity have greater maturity than thofe at the contrary 

 end, as thofe nearefl the parent plant are in reality the 

 oldeft, the tuber being formed by a branch, which has 

 expanded itfelf in a lateral manner, inftead of having ex- 

 tended itfelf in a longitudinal direftion. Confequently the 

 buds of it are arranged as they would have been upon the 

 elongated branch ; and every tuber, in its incipient ftate of 

 formation, will extend itfelf into a branch, provided the 

 plant, to which it belong;!, be cut off clofe to the ground, 

 and the current of afcending fap be in confequence diverted 

 into, and through the tubers. 



It is however found, by both the above inquirers, that a 

 tuber, or part of one, which is foft and aqueous, affords a 

 better plant than one which is firm and farinaceous, or in the 

 mealy ftate. 



It is faid, in the correfted Agricultural Survey of Corn- 

 wall, that a gardener of Penzance, in that diftrift, can 

 afcertaiii when a potatoe chofen for a fet will produce the 

 curl ; as a healthy potatoe will always, in his opinion, be 

 largelt, and rounded at its nofe-end, while a difeafed potatoe 

 runs fmaller at its nofe-end than at the tail-end, and will pro- 

 duce the curl, if planted. It is noticed, that the form of 

 the difeafed potatoe here defcribed is very eafily diftinguifh- 

 able in the kidney fort, or in any long-lhaped potatoe, but 

 not fo readily, or with fuch facility, in the round kind ; yet 

 it is fuppofed to be capable of being diftinguifhed by atten- 

 tion, and a little practice, in all. 



In regard to fets, as whole potatoes do not always anfwer 

 well for the purpofe, and as thofe of certain large fizes are 

 better than fmall ones ; the beft mode of forming them is 

 fuppofed to be that of taking off the fprout or nofe-end, 

 and the umbiHcal or tail-end of the potatoe, leaving the 

 middle part entirely for the fet. The worft mode of cut- 

 ting the potatoe, in this intention, is, it is faid, that of di- 

 viding it down the middle, from the nofe to the tail, though 

 a method much too commonly praftifed. 



The preparing the fets beforehand, as in the preceding 

 winter, from the fairefl and beft potatoes, and placing them 

 in fuch dry fituations, as that they may become incrufted 

 with their juice, and thereby bleed lefs before fprouting, 

 than if frefh cut in the fpring at the time of planting, is a 

 practice adopted in Ireland with advantage. The fet is, of 

 courfe, ftronger, and it puts forth a more vigorous fhoot 

 foon after being planted. The planting of fmall whole 

 potatoes, or fets having more than two ftrong eyes or buds, 

 is with reafon commonly avoided ; and thofe potatoes with 

 a number of eyes, on what is termed the crown of the 

 potatoe, are invariably rejefted, with the fmall potatoes," 

 both being found to produce languid fhoots, and a number 

 of fmall bad potatoes of no value. In all thefe ftates they 

 are thought to be improper for planting as fets. 



Thefe hints, ftateraents, and conclufions, may ferve to 

 extend and improve our knowledge of the nature of a dif- 

 eafe which has long been fo injurious to potatoe crops. See 

 Curl. 



SoLANUM Dulcamara, in the McUena Medka. See 

 Woody Nightshade. 



SoLANUM Nigrum. See Garden NIGHTSHADE. 



SoLANUM Pomiferum, jlpple-bearing Nightfliadc, in Bo- 

 tany, a name given by writers to the night/hades, and 

 plants of feveral genera allied to thofe, and bearing large 

 fruits. See Melongen.\ and Lycopersicon. 



SoLANUM Somniferum, Sleepy Night/hade, a name given 



by 



