Diseases of the Potatoe. 33 
I conclude this part of my subject, by extracting the fol- 
Jowing article by Morrill Allen, an intelligent, practical far- 
mer, of Massachusetts. The extract properly belongs, per- 
haps, to Part I, of this work, but it is also connected with 
the present chapter. He says: “There have been sufficient 
indications of the existence of disease, and advances, to justify 
soiue general attention to the subject, and the employment of 
such preventive, or remedial means, as may seem to cultiva- 
tors the most likely to prove efficacious. Until the causes of 
the malady shall be more satisfactorily investigated, no rules 
ean, with implicit confidence, be given for the treatment. 
The farmers must do as physicians are sometimes obliged to 
do in cases of undefined bodily disease, prescribe to the 
symptoms. This practice is attended with great uncertainty, 
yet the results of it in experience sometimes prove highly 
valuable. The different causes to which the disease in pota- 
toes has been ascribed, lead writers to suggest a great variety 
of remedies in ‘accordance with their views of the probable 
origin. Let farmers select and apply such as their reason 
and judgment best approve, and it may be that merely prac- 
tical men will, in the course of their experience, clearly 
prove what theory has hitherto failed of doing, the moving 
cause of the difficulty. If, as supposed by some, it be of 
insect origin, then salt and lime would seem proper applica 
tions, and these are also strongly recommended by persons 
who think that fungus is the producing cause of the disease. 
Those who suppose it arises from atmospheric influence 
may properly apply the same means which would be recom- 
mended by those who believe it the result of excessive 
growth. Preparation of the soil, and a course in the culti- 
vation likely to produce an even growth is unquestionably 
important in this and other crops. Some persons seem cone 
fident that the rot in potatoes results wholly from deteriora- 
iion in the seed. If this be true we may not expect to avoid 
