180 
THE FLORIST. 
THE POTATO DISEASE. 
The Potato disease is a most important national matter, for a Potato 
is the rich man’s luxury and the poor man’s wealth. Too much con¬ 
sideration cannot be given to it. Various remedies have been tried, 
but not one of them has as yet been thoroughly and universally 
successful. Till we can determine the cause and seat of the disease 
we shall not be able to remedy it. However it may have originated, I 
am persuaded that it is now a “tuber” disease, liable to more or less 
development, according to the suitability of soils, seasons, and situations. 
I believe the disease may be propagated externally as well as internally. 
One thing is certain, that the greens of the Potato having been cut off 
so often since 1845, before the Potatoes are perfected, the cellular 
tissues have been injured, and are less able to resist the disease. I 
find here that the thickest skinned and hardest stalked Potatoes, such 
as the early Dugdales, stood it best last year. My cottagers grow this 
sort on an exposed chalky hill, and last year I observed that, though 
the greens were cut off, the tubers were but little affected. The soil 
and the situation, I need hardly observe, were favourable. I never 
knew more of all kinds in any year so bad as last year. I planted all 
the 6th and 7th of March last year (equal to February in any ordinary 
year) in ground dunged in the autumn and mowed twice. I have no 
doubt that the disease, be it “fungus, insect, or virus,” goes from the 
diseased “ set ” and roots upwards into the greens through the circu¬ 
lation, as well as into the young tubers by the string: for I cut some 
open at digging time, and found the disease in the very heart of the 
young Potatoes. I have done nothing as yet to remedy the disease by 
way of prevention ; but, being persuaded that it is now chiefly a tuber 
and root disease, I mean to try a few nostrums, confessing humbly 
that I am “at my wits end.” I shall take off the “sets” from some 
of the plants as soon as they are up, and leave nothing but the new 
roots and stalks. To some of these roots I shall apply a solution of 
vitriol at the time that I remove the “ sets ” from the roots. If the 
disease is “fungus,” vitriol is a good remedy. It is always successful 
in curing smutty seed Wheat. To some of these deprived “ roots ” I 
shall put sulphur, to some soot, and to some lime. I propose also to 
try these things on the greens on some ranks which are not deprived 
of their “ sets ” as soon as the greens appear; for if it is a fungus 
proceeding through the circulation or pitching upon the leaves and 
descending downwards it will quickly spread its spores, to be developed 
in suitable weather. 1 shall try the experiments on the Dalmahoy, 
which is a charming Potato. One thing is observable that, when the 
greens are striking, the stench in confined situations is nearly as offensive 
as smut in Wheat or fungus puffs on a down. I mean also to bandage 
tolerably tight the stalks beneath the greens, to try and stop the ascent 
or descent of the disease through the circulation. 
The following things are tolerably evident to me that, if the disease 
is in the cellular tissues, as I believe it to be, external applications only 
will fail; that if it is a fungus, as I believe it to be, its development 
