496 
On the Potato Disease. 
Examined April 22, 1846, when the result was as follows : — 
65 Quite rotten, 
63 The disease not much worse than wlieii put away, but the tubers 
very much shrivelled. 
27 The disease had spread nearly over the whole tuber ; shoots on them, 
about 3 inches long, half an inch of which had turned rather on 
the fop. 
1 6 The disease spreiid over more than half the tuber ; shoots 3 inches 
long, apparently healthy, but exhibited signs of the disease when 
cut. Carefully planted in new soil for experiment. 
171 
No. 2. — 12 slightly diseased potatoes cut as No. 1, and dusted with 
quick-lime, laid on a shelf in a dwelling-room ; temperature averaging 
62^ 
Examined March 3 ; all quite rotten, but still retaining their propet 
size; cut hard, and the inside of the tuber something the colour of old 
oak furniture. 
This experiment was suggested by a gentleman who at the same time 
advised the labourers to swing up hurdles m their dwelling-rooms ou 
which to store their diseased potatoes, as a means of checking the pro- 
gress of decay. 
No. 3. — 12 healthy potatoes placed on the same shelf as No. 2, and 
examined same time ; were very much shrivelled, and quite unfit for 
cooking, though the eyes were breaking strong. 
No. 4. — 1 bushel very slightly diseased potatoes, dusted with lime 
and packed in a tub with burnt earth and charcoal, placed in a dry 
loft, with a temperature averaging 46^. 
Examined April 22 j picked out half a peck, being about l-8th part 
either quite rotten, or very much worse than when put away ; the other 
"t parts were soft and very much grown, the dry ashes having extracted 
moisture from the potatoes, and having thus been rendered a favourable 
soil for striking them by the very means proposed for their preservation. 
This experiment was suggested by the Irish Commission also, and 
urged by others as a sure remedy for allaying the progress of the disease. 
No. 5. — 1 bushel potatoes taken from the same heap as No. 4, and 
laid in the comer of the same room, without any preparation ; turned 
over twice in the course of the winter. About l-20th part was diseased 
to a greater extent than when put away, but none quite rotten ; the 
eyes were quite fresh, but none grown more than half an inch, though 
tlie tubers were quite soft, the dry atmosphere having absorbed much 
of the water from them. 
No. 6. — 1 bushel taken from the same heap as Nos. 4 and 5, and 
packed in the natural soil, not being allowed to touch each other, covered 
1 foot deep in a sunless situation : tiie whole quantity of rain that fell 
on this spot after the middle of October until the beginning of March 
was allowed to run through tlie heap, having no other protection than 
the soil; a trench was dug all round the heap, about 9 inches deeper 
than the bottom of it. 
Examined March 4 ; the disease appeared not to have progressed at 
all since they were put away, and the tubers Mere firm as when dug. 
No. 7. — The remainder of the heap from which Nos. 4, 5, and 6,' 
