On the Potato Discanc. 
391 
rently quite free from disease. A similar result is recorded bv 
Mr. C. Chapman, of Brentford, in the 'Gardener's Chronicle' of 
olst of January, who planted some on the 1st of July, the produce 
of which were all diseased; and others on the 1st of October, 
taken from the same stock as the former — the produce of which 
proved all sound. " It appears clear, therefore," Mr. C. says, 
"that (probably about the end of July) there was some peculiar 
atmospheric change, which, combined with other things, attacked 
the haulm of the potato^, and through that diseased the tubers." 
If these changes become periodical in this climate, I do not doubt 
that England will in a few years cease to grow potatoes to any 
extent ; but I must say that I have never heard of any common 
plant being lost to cultivation from such a cause, nor do I see any 
probability of such sudden and extreme alterations becoming per- 
manent in a country the climate of which is proverbially tickle. 
Dec. 11, 184G. ' F. J. Gr.\ham, 
Cranford. 
XXVI. — A Report on the Feeding of Stock with Prepared Food, 
and a description of the Apparatus cmploijcd. By Johi:ru 
Marshall. 
Prize Essav. 
Reprinted, by permission, from the Proceedings of the Yorkshire 
Agricultural Societ}'. 
The author of the following observations does not pretend to have 
discovered any new way to feed cattle ; nor can the objection of 
novelty, the current and groundless objection of every foe to im- 
provement, be justly urged against the system which he has 
adopted, and which he thinks others may adopt, if they will, with 
advantage. The principles here laid down have been lonji, 
though, perhaps, not generally known. All the merit which he 
claims is, that of having persevered in spite of friendly remon- 
strances, ridicule, commiseration and the like, in a course which 
his own reflection and calculations recommended, and which his 
own experience, and the larger experience of more able and 
scientific farmers have since proved to be successful. That success 
has arisen, not from the discovery of any new principles, but from 
the proper carrying out of principles already known. It has been 
long known that the use of prepared food is moi e wholesome and 
more economical than the use of raw food. Frequent attempts 
have been made to prepare iood for stock, but either from the 
imperfect description of the apparatus employed, from the im- 
proper mixture of materials, from the unwholesome state in whicli 
the food has been given, or from some other cau«e, these attempts 
