THE POTATO DISEASE. 
103 
threatened with what appears to be little less than their entire 
destruction. Much has been said and written on the subject 
since its first appearance in June, 1845, and various have been 
the opinions expressed as to the cause, and the conjectures for 
staying or removing the injury. Still, from the evidence offered 
by the current season’s growth, we are not much in advance of the 
position occupied at the end of last summer, when intelligence 
was pouring in from all sides of the partial or total failure of the 
crop on lands of every description, and in situations of every pos¬ 
sible variety. Crude ideas have been expressed and remedies 
bruited, neither of which have borne the test of experience. Yet 
we must not blame their promulgation ; for with a subject of such 
vital consequence, and on which no former knowledge could be 
brought to bear, every relative thought possessed a value, and 
exertions, however misguided or futile, required to be estimated, 
if not by their results, at least by the desire that induced them. 
It is still a matter of divided opinion whether the disease is the 
inherent consequence of a debilitated constitution in the potato, 
arising from the high and artificial culture to which it has been 
subject for a series of years, or whether its origin is founded on 
purely atmospheric influences. Many arguments have been ad¬ 
duced in support of either position—most of them, however, 
grounded on conjectural surmises, or resting on bare analogy; 
and it is indeed to be regretted that we have not more decisive 
evidence on this point, for on it must be based the commence¬ 
ment of remedial measures to have the remotest possibility of 
success. The 'presence of the disease is conceded by all to be 
evinced by the growth of a microscopic fungus, called Botrytis 
infestans, or Artotrogus hydnosporus, never particularly observed 
till this occasion ; and as the conditions necessary to the develop¬ 
ment of this minute parasite tend to throw some light on the 
primary cause of the disease itself, it will be interesting to men¬ 
tion what is known of it. 
At a recent meeting of the Botanic Society of Edinburgh, a 
paper on this subject was read by Mr. J. Goodsir, Demonstrator 
of Anatomy in the University of Edinburgh, in which Mr. Goodsir 
stated, in reference to the nature of the disease, “ there could be 
no doubt as to its general resemblance to an epidemic. Although 
we have not discovered the causes of epidemic diseases, we know 
