On the Potato Disease. 
493 
ber, and many of these rotten afterwards. While some of the 
same variety, planted the first week in April, were nearly ripe by 
the middle of July, and were scarcely affected. 
In the third week in October, 1845, I planted 20 rows of 
ash-leaf kidney, each row containing 13 sets ; the tubers showed 
slight signs of disease, and were prepared by being laid in the 
sun and greened ; all the diseased parts were cut away, and 
some dusted with quick-lime, some with soot, some steeped in 
sulphuric acid and water, and others planted without any other 
preparation than being greened in the sun. About 100 plants 
had made their appearance by the first week in March, 1846; 
these, notwithstanding having been partially protected with litter 
and boughs of evergreen trees, were cut down by the severe frost 
of the r2th of March. The plant was partially recovered by the 
middle of April, but cut down a second time by the severe frosts 
of the four last days of April ; there were, when I examined them 
on the .22nd of May, 90 plants with green tops, and about the 
same number that had been cut down and had not resumed 
growing, nor were likely to do so ; the tubers on some of them 
were as large as partridges eggs, but had evidently done growing, 
as the skin was set, that is, it would not easily rub off. Some of 
them were showing symptoms of disease, and the haulm under 
ground was diseased in precisely the same manner as last year, 
in the ratio of 3 in 4 of those that had not resumed growing. 
The only difference I could observe in those prepared, and those 
not prepared, was that those dusted with quick-lime came up 
rather v,eaker than any others; those dusted with soot had rather 
a darker green tint ; and those steeped in sulphuric acid and 
water were 5 plants short of the other portions at their first 
appearance in March : in all other respects I could not perceive 
the least difference. 
I think these experiments are sufficient to prove autumn plant- 
ing of potatoes is not a remedy for the disease of 1845, and that 
it is not applicable to general cultivation. 
The great point, then, to be observed in planting potatoes is 
to use sound seed ; to get the eye healthy so as to insure their 
coming up strong ; to get their bed well prepared in the autumn 
by throwing up rough, so that the soil may be well pulverized 
and healthy ; to cover lightly so that the atmosphere may exercise 
a due influence over the plant ; to give plenty of room to prevent 
the damp lurking about the lower parts of the foliage, and expose 
it to the beneficial influence of the sun's rays, and bring them tq 
an early and healthful maturity ; to plant just soon enough ; that 
the plants may be up as soon as all danger of frost is over, w hich is 
not until after the middle of ^lay, in general. I have heard many 
people expressing wonder that the potato tops should look so 
2 L 2 
