90 The Potatoe Plague. 
Ashes. Salt. 
Laminaria saccharina gave to 100 Ibs. about 10 Ib. 3 Ib. 
Fucus vesiculosus “ 100“ “ 208% 63% 
Fucus serratus “ 100 “© “© 26 “ 10 # 
Fueus crispus, or 
Chondria crispa “ 100 «§ “ 2556 426 
They varied also considerably in the other ingredients. 
Now, when this great difference exists in the quantity of salt 
in different sea-weeds just taken from the sea, and when it is 
considered that the sea-weed is often made into a compost, 
turned over and exposed to all kinds of weather, by which 
salt may be washed out, it must be obvious that no true 
judgment can be formed of its effects on the potatoe disease, 
unless the kind of sea-weed, afid all the attendant circum- 
stances, be taken into account. The spores of the fungus, in 
the cases alluded to, might have been, and most probably 
were, so numerous, that the salt thus adventitiously obtained, 
was not sufficient to destroy them. 
In a paper transmitted to the N. Y. State Agricultural 
Society, (alluded to in a former communication,) I recom- 
mended an analysis of sound potatoes, and_a parallel one of 
those just contaminated by the rot; and this to be done, not 
in the usual way, by reducing to ashes, but by expressing the 
juices and analyzing them. This would show whether there 
was any difference in the ingredients that might be consider- 
ed as offering favorable circumstances for fungus vegetation. 
The analysis by incineration should also be tried. For, if 
salt destroys the fungus, as my own eyes as well as those of 
others have seen, it is a fair presumption that if we can get a 
solution of salt inte the juices of the plant, in any shape, that 
it will be unfavorable to the vegetation of the spores. 
Until I see a number of experiments fairly tried with salt, 
lime, &c., and they have failed, I shall not be persuaded that 
the views I have taken of these as remedies for the potatoe 
