THE CULTIVATOR. 
87 
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in a crop from one hundred to one hundred and fifty acres, 
with the manures at hand on our plantations, they will 
please publish in the Cultivator the whole process of 
so doing-, and much oblige A Young Planter. 
Eifalla, Alabama, 1846. 
PREVENTIVE OF THE POTATO ROT. 
Mr. Editor. —It appears to me that the attention of 
your correspondents has been directed more to the cause 
or nature of the potato disease, than to any specific 
remedy. Some have ascribed the cause to unusual 
dews, fogs, heat of the sun, small insects, or parasite 
mushrooms. We may, I think, safely conclude that the 
disease is entirely atmospherical, and as inexplicable as 
epidemics that effect the human or animal system. If 
so, then the only object would be to place the vines in 
a state in which they would not receive the disease. 
Thus the ravages of the wheat fly are avoided by sow¬ 
ing earlier than usual, and also rust in wheat by sowing 
early on elevated lands. 
As it respects the numerous preventives that have been 
suggested, none of them appears to be of any general 
utility. The strewing on ashes, lime, or plaster; the 
cutting off of the tops; the drying them in the sun, 
before putting them into the cellar, are only laborious, 
and at best, partial remedies. The suggestions of a 
gentleman fiom Virginia to plant early, and at a certain 
depth, on light, elevated soil, and to cover the vines 
two or three inches with leaves, would be, I think, of 
no general utility, except the early planting. For I 
find by observation and extensive inquiries among far¬ 
mers, that potatoes are affected in every variety of soil, 
and that every kind of potato is subject to the disease; 
that is, the same kind will be affected one year and not 
another, and on all varieties of soil. From these facts, 
I have concluded that it is not in the kind of potato, or 
state of soil, but in the time of planting, or rather, state 
of the vines when the epidemic appears. 
Therefore, assuming that the disease is in the air, and 
that vegetables derive by far the greater part of their 
nourishment and substance from this element, I con¬ 
clude that the disease is absorbed by the vines, when 
they are in a state to receive it, and by them conveyed 
to the potato among nutritious properties. 
As to the time the disease appears, mueh will de¬ 
pend upou the temperature of the climate where the po¬ 
tato is planted, and the period of the maturity of the 
vines. In Vermont, I conclude that the disease appears 
from the middle of August to the middle of September, 
or when we begin to have heavy dews, and damp, chilly 
nights. Then the leaves become slightly struck with 
rust or blight. This kind of weather produces rust in 
wheat. But the common potato rust, which comes in 
July or August, must not be taken for the disease, for 
rust of potato tops is not a new thing. 
Now, in this region, the tops of early planted pota¬ 
toes generally become so far matured in the fore part 
of September, that they cease to absorb the atmospheri¬ 
cal properties. Hence, if this transition takes place 
before the disease has been conveyed to the roots, the 
potatoe is safe. I have been led to thus fix the time of 
the appearance the disease from practical observation. 
I planted six kinds of potatoes on separate plats in 1844, 
all on good warm soil. Three of the kinds were planted 
about the last of April, and the others about the last of 
May. The tops of the first three plats were partially 
dry by the first of September—the others, not until the 
first of Oct. The first plantings were free from the 
disease; the last were greatly affected by it. I tried the 
the same experiment on six kinds last year, and the re¬ 
sult was precisely as the preceding year. A neighbor 
planted the early kidneys in April last; the tops were 
dead in August. Some of the potatoes remained in the 
ground until Nov. They were perfectly healthy. He 
planted, from the same lot of seed, about the first of 
June, a small patch near his barn, the tops of which 
grew rank, and were green until killed by the frost in 
October. The potatoes were greatly diseased. Since 
then, I have ascertained that the tops of those potatoes 
that have proved to be diseased were generally green in 
September, or at least at the time of digging. It does 
not, however follow that every field will be affected 
where the tops are thus immature. I have found two 
exceptions in fifty cases. In one case, the potatoes 
were planted in July, and were so thrifty in September 
that the disease did not affect them. In like manner 
human constitutions are not equally in a condition to 
take at one £ime the same disease. In the other case, 
the potatoes, being planted in a high frosty region, were 
killed by a frost in the fore part of September, before 
the disease Reached the roots. Hence very early or 
very late planting will escape the disease. But early 
planted potatoes are decidedly better for the table or 
for stock than late planted unripe ones. Therefore, let 
all kinds of potatoes, except those that are very long 
in coming to matujity, be planted early, (for the cli¬ 
mate where they are planted,) that the vines may par¬ 
tially ripen before the time of the appearance of the 
disease. It is no matter what the kind of soil is, or the 
kind of potato, if neither will greatly prolong the ma¬ 
turity of the vines. But avoid planting near barns, 
where the soil is exceeding rich, or in low, wet places. 
Observe these rules, and we think that in usual seasons, 
from 200 to 300 bushels of good healthy potatoes per 
acre, will be obtained. 
This process may also save the potato crop in Ireland. 
I am assured by emigrants that potatoes for the summer 
market are planted early, and are ripened in a pleasant, 
genial season, while those for winter use are not planted 
until may or June, for the sake of a long growth, and a 
larger yield, which exposes them to the disease. 
Kittredge Haven. 
P. S. To have large thrifty vines in June, through 
the influence of spring or summer showers, spread in 
March or April your entire seed on grass plats, the 
south side of buildings, and cover them with straw, or 
blankets, during frosty nights. The sprouts thus ob¬ 
tained will accelerate vegetation, while celier sprouts 
retard it. Shoreham, Vt. K. H. 
CORN MARKER. 
Mr. Tucker —Herewith I send you a description of 
a corn marker which I have used for several years, and 
which I think works much better than the kind I have 
generally seen in use, especially on stony land. Very 
likely the principle may have been adopted by others, 
but I have never seen one except my own. Instead of 
pins or teeth, I use runners , made of hard w^ood plank, 
about three feet long, and eight or ten inches wide. In 
constructing it, take a four inch hard wood scantling of 
the required length for four runners, and saw in ganes 
about an inch deep, just the thickness of the runners— 
then saw ganes into the runners about one foot from 
the fore end, two inches deep, and wide enough to let 
in the scantling. These ganes must also be made so 
that the runners and scantling will drive together tight. 
Then put a three-quarter pin through the scantling, and 
well into the runner, and they will not be very likely 
to separate. Then with a large auger put a pair of han¬ 
dles through the scantling, of sufficient length to raise 
the fore end of the runner by bearing on, in case of 
coming in contact with a tight stone or other obstruc¬ 
tion. A tongue or shafts may be attached to the two 
middle runners or to the scantling in any manner most 
convenient, only it should be firm, so as to draw steady. 
The runners should be square at the fore end (and not 
turn up like a sled runner,) which will enable them to 
remove all loose stones and such like obstructions, in¬ 
stead of running over them or round them, which is 
the great objection to those constructed with teeth. 
The same principle is equally applicable t6 markers for 
turneps, carrots, &c. 
The handles may be supported by putting “ “-ail or 
something of the kind across the top of the rnnnoj-s for 
them to rest upon. Cyrus Ingalls. 
New Hartford , Feb . 11, 1846. 
