The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1872-09-17 00:00:00

THE POL'ATO DISEi3E.
To the Vow of bite " Tuus."

Buk—Having been an experimental grower of pota-
toes from the time of the Irish famine in 1845-6 (sod,
ladeed, previously), and being dedrous, in aooordance
with the suggestion contained to your article of the 4th
instant, to 'hand down to posterity the chief horticultu-
ral legacy of our nearer azioestors," I would offer
through the world-wide oireulatioo of the TINCI, the
results of my observations during these 27 years. rivet
as to the cease of the rot.
As It appeared fir the first time in 1815, and was
then lotted more or lees in almoet every part of Earope,
II weld not have been originated by the gradual
deterioration of the root, especially as It was worse that
sesson than it has ever been sine*, unless, indee3, the
presset altotild prove to be as &oestrous.
Without presuming to dogmatise, I would suggest
that it Wag oilseed instrumentelly by a change In the
oompoemat parts of the atmosphere in that year (11443)
add the disease being ono, originated and established
(as the cholera was at an earlier date), certain made.
Uses of the atmosphere and of tte soil in wok& the
plant might be growing would miter a recurrence or an
=
ration of the Meese., though such condi-
:eight not be sufficient to C Itl/0 it, if not
already in existence. The fact, re well established by
niers*" to reworded observations, that the most des-
tructive seasons wito the potato disease were 'hoes in
whleh there were most thunder, lightning, and rain,
oonfirms the opinion that the atmosphere is the priori!.
pal cause, though I have seen no evidence thst the
electric Auld (as warintimse 'apposed) was the immediate
cause of the deetruation.
If, however, the atmosphere were the only cause, our
Ii ves for Ins tutors might be but faint, toe elements
beWg beyond our control; hut by olt-repeated expert
meets and casual,. oteervattoe, I am satisfies that,
the remedy, or rather the meium of preveation, are
plaited within oar re•ch, and well is oompaseed by the
isteffigeot and persevering gardeners and farmers of
the present generation.
The oth.r prumipal cause or aggravationa are :
a, ' '

g.juieot drainage of theirind.
& Insufficient vecituation of the mops while growing
(the land being frequently half.eovered with fruit tree.
er isuverasited by hedgerow Umber).
4. The continuing le plant and replant the sarneland
year after year wan the very same girt of potato.
Other assess might b• menhooed subordinately (se
unenitabie or supereboodent manure), but I brlieve that
tate loon above opesilled are beyond oomparnoin the shief
easenv—aad I write, not from coajmiture, but from
mania zperimeote made in over; 'Knot, of boil and
eireurastanima. If has oonolusion is omega Oslo the
sp,uas, the cure, Of 01,011 of prevention, would appear
to be self -evident—wit , by di.oardlog old sort., sod
=sting to well-drainiad load, free from obstruatiois by
hedge-rows, or bailaings, sash Low modisor
potatoes only as have hitherto reeisted ILO atteems
dwiease, and ought be termed "murrain proof." Tom
there are soot varieties Ls outdo ; not that all, nor the
majority of the sorts raised from seeds or berried ars
murnao proof, ' but some among Weal are found to
be so.
This I have proved by planting In favotuabls sod Moo
in unfavourable Land many new and old kinds, on the
muse isad,side by aide,and when after atones of yoarsoa
morteln kind hes appeared to be eminently proof against
disease, though its immediate neighbours *offered, this
numb prour variety ha. been hooded over to the
seed firlil (Sutton sod boos) with whom I have been
loom or ion cimineated tare fifty pada, and haa by
Rum been distributed in the ordinary way of business
into all parts of the kingdom, where it has been grown
under every variety of MOUOMI{I/120., mid still 00111400•4
be prodooe osily good sound potatoes entirely free from
dieweara
That this is the ease with several sort, this year, also,
rm
is more evident thee usual, owing to the gene pre.
valence of cheeses among the old sort., My object in
oddromiag you is not to call attention to any particular
aorta, but to encourage the pramice of raising potatoes
from oro berry, or seed, sod of oulhvating in wed-
drained and weil-venulated Land tbowa sorts only which
F°" most worthy of preservation,—Your
MAiLTIN ILUI bU IVOR.
Claire-lodge, Reading. Sept, 6th.