Lhe Potatoe Plague. 89 
prevented any bad effect froma deteriorated sap. A proof 
might be obtained by comparing the analysis of an unsound 
potatoe with that of a sound one. 
Mr. J. E. Teschemacher, who favors the theory of fungus, 
thus writes to the editor of the New England Farmer: 
I hear, every day, of instances of parcels stored in cellars, 
apparently sound when put in, which are now totally worth- 
less. Depend upon it, unless some remedy be found, it will 
hardly be worth while to plant potatoes another year. 
In order that I may not be misunderstood, I will now suc- 
cinctly state my opinions on this subject. 
I think that salt, lime, and several compounds, will destroy 
the disease. I prefer salt, because, when mixed in the soil, 
it may get into the juices, and circulate through the whole 
plant. Lime, or lime water, would do the same to a certain 
extent, but it is far less soluble than salt. 
The fungus I have seen, vegetates upon and thickens the 
sides of the cells of which the potatoe is composed, which 
cells contain the grains of starch. The starch is not injured 
until the sides of the cells, rotted by the fungus, burst — the 
worms or maggots breed, and the whole finally becomes a 
mass of putridity, with an offensive, fungus-like smell. 
I saw in your last week’s paper, several cases of the dis- 
ease occurring where sea-weed had been used, and also near 
the sea-shore. These cases would seem to.militate against 
the idea of salt being a cure. But they are very far from 
convincing me, for the following reasons: The salt atmos- 
phere near the sea, may not have contained one-tenth enough 
salt to destroy the rot, or the prevailing winds there may not 
have spread the spray in sufficient quantity. And with re- 
spect to sea-weed, in a late London journal, there are analy- 
ses of four different kinds of sea-weed, performed by burning 
the weed and analyzing the ashes. 
gx 
