494 
On the Potato Disease. 
yellow this fine weather, but those who were up and out at four 
o'clock in the mornings of the llth, 12th, 13th, and 14th of this 
month (May), have no occasion to wonder, for, in our locality, to 
use the country term, the ^rass was as white with frost as a newly 
washed sheep's back. Now, the potato plant is a very tender 
one, and a slight frost, if it docs not cut them quite down, causes 
a derangement in their system, and there is no doubt occasions 
great debility, which would tell upon it in case of a more virulent 
attack. 
We should also keep the growing plants in an upright position 
as much as is possible without injuring other parts. It is well 
known to every practical culturist that the growth of plants is 
more rapid when in a vertical than when in a horizontal position. 
Much has been said and written against earthing potatoes, that is, 
drawing the soil up in ridges about their stems ; but while I con- 
demn the practice of earthing to an extent sufficient to expose 
the fibrous roots to danger^ I have three points upon which to 
recommend the practice to be continued, though on a modified 
scale. 
1st, it helps to support the stem in a vertical position ; 2nd, it 
protects the tubers nearest the surface from the effects of the sun's 
scorching and greening influence ; 3rd, the crop is much more 
easily raised, and the tubers in better condition for storing, parti- 
cularly in a wet season like the last, or in very damp ground. It 
may have likewise something to do with the health of the tubers, 
for I observed in the parish of Avening last year, amongst some 
cottage allotments : one lot was planted wide and earthed high ; 
the tubers in this piece were but very slightly affected, while its 
right and left hand neighbours were planted so close that the 
space between the rows would not allow of earthing without in- 
jury ; the roots were nearly all destroyed. Still this difference 
may be attributable to early planting. 
Nothing gives health and vigour to potatoes so much as con- 
stant judicious hoeing; therefore I strongly urge that this useful 
point also should not be so much neglected. 
One more point must not be overlooked ; which is cutting 
down the haulm as a palliative for the disease; for though we 
know it is not an infallible remedy, we know from experience that 
it sometimes has the effect of materially checking it if the disease 
commences above ground; but if the plant should inherit the 
malady from the parent tuber, cutting down the haulm may but 
accelerate it, as was the case with my Ash-leaves in 1846; there- 
fore we must not be too fast in adopting this plan, as it will very 
much leasen the quantity of tubers, and perhaps the causes of 
disease may be this year internal causes, — the relics of last year. 
So we must first make ourselves perfectly satisfied tliat tlie parent 
