The Sun.
London, England, 1847-02-22 00:00:00

•
THE PROSPECTS of the POTATO
CROP.—GOVERNMENT INQUIRY.
At the beginning of last month the Poor-law Com-
missioners announced to the Assistant Commis4oners and
others, that Government was anxious to receive infor-
mation from leading gentlemen of practical experience,
on the following point connected with the failure of the
potato crop during the last and present year, viz.,
" whether any sorts of that root have not been morealso or
less than others injuriously affected ?" It was
stated that the object of Government in directing an in-
quiry into this branch of the subject appears to be to
collect such information as may serve as a guide to
farmers who are making choice of sorts for planting ;
and looking to the probability of future failures, it is a
question of paramount importance, and to which atten-
tion does not hitherto appear to n sufficiently
directed.
In accordance with the wish above expressed, Mr.
Hawley, the Assistant Poor-law Commissioner, ad-
dressed a letter fram Durham to Mr. Milburn, of Thorp-
field, Thirsk, to which he received the following reply:—
"Thorpfield, Thirsk, Jam 26, 1847.

" Sir,—l beg to inclose replies to your queries in re-
ference to potatoes. I have paid a great deal of attention
to the matter, and am quite convinced that no causes,
such as I infer are thought of by the tone of queries, are
so far in operation as to account for the disease. Both
the old and the new kinds were equally affected, and
those which escaped most in 1845 suffered most in 1846.
" I am aware how very little value opinions are of in
the matter ; but I think the following statements are
justified by facts :
" Ist. That in 184.5 the white varieties and late va-
rieties suffered most by the disease. 2d. The it mani-
fested itself most about the 12th of October, and pro-
gressed after they were removed from the ground most
severely. 3rd. That all kinds were most tree from dis-
ease which were taken up early, say, before the Ist of
October. 4th. That the disease was most in wet and
clay districts, and least felt in dry and sand districts, as
at Thirsk and Doncaster. sth. That very diseased sets
still had vitality, and would produce plants, in some
cases less tainted by disease than the sets free from dis-
ease would do. _ _ .

" While, 6th, in 1846. the red varieties were the worst
diseased. ith. That the disease manifested itself in one
night, say, about the 23rd of August, all the tops being
blackened as if by frost, though the night was thick
and oppressively hot ; but no progress was made by the
disease after the plants were removed from the soil.
Bth. That the early kinds were the worst, and those the
earliest removed from the ground suffered the most. I
think it probable that this year they improved by laying
in the soil. 9th. The districts most free from the disease
in 1845 were the most affected in 1846, to wit, Thirsk
and Doncaster, and sand districts.

"My opinion on the whole is, that it is owing to that
mysterious lA, of nature, that bounds shall be set to the
great increase of any species of animals or plants, and
thus the balance of creation shall be duly kept. . . .
" My impression is, also, that the disease will be less
severe in this year than last, and by and by it will wear
out as the "curl" in potatoes. and the dry rot have done
before, but not before there is much misery and :uf-
ferinz
" I trust her Majesty's Government, in carrying out
their present judicious and merciful measures for Ire-
land, will provide seed corn, especially rye, which will
grow on the poor soils of that country, and be a tran-
sition from a delicate exotic vegetable to a hardy one,
less accustomed to suffer by variable influences. Better
to pay the Irish for growing and tilling their own soil
and find them seed, than have a nation of paupers.—l
have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient servant,
" MATTHEW MARMADUKE MILBURN.
" To W. H. T. Hawley, Esq."— Leeds Mercury.

PASSAGE OF THE STRAITS OF

MAGELLAN.
(From the Liverpool Mercury.)
IMPORTANT TO SHIPMASTERS.