The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-20 00:00:00

THE POTATO DISEASE.

We understand a disease has, these few days,
ea
made its appearanceamongstseh a stho early potatoes in the
is
formidablethan
laston the
This is the case, more particularly .
neighbourhood of Aberdeen, much more
last year.
rtitch is not more or less affected. The disease appears
h side of the city, where scarcely a field. is to be seen
tow fix on the stem about half way up, and in the course
of a few hours the whole plant becomes blackened and
decomposed in the same way as if it had been in a
fermented state for days. On lifting the plant, the
potatoes all present a yellowish mattery appearance at
the end farthest from the stem ; and on cutting them
through, the lairs are seen in circles outwards from a
dull, blackish star in the centre. On cutting through
the potatoe there is a toughness presented, as if it were
clay. A friend with whom we conversed on the subject
stated that he had just left a gardener in a field with all
hands busy in pulling up the diseased stems, and gather-
ing them in heaps and covering them over with earth,
in the endeavour to arrest the infection, as he conceived
diseased plants were injuring the adjoining healthy ones.
—!North of Scotland Gazelle.
LISKE.I.ItO.—The prospects of the potato growers in
the neighourhood of .Liskeard are gloomy in the ex-
treme. The disease is making fearful progress, and
there is every reason to expect that the calamity will be
equal to, or worse, than that of last year, for most of
the seed of the present crop was corrupt. All the early
sorts are affected, and we cannot flatter ourselves that
the winter potatoes will be in a better condition when they
arrive at the blossoming period of their existence. Some
people have had recourse to the experiment of cutting
off the tops; but decapitation seems a strange mode of
preserving life. Although the disease is at first indicated
by a decomposition of the leaves, it is quite evident that
the malady originates at the:root ; for a more propitious
season, as regards the influence of the atmosphere on
vegetation, it is thought, has been seldom experienced:
the luxuriant appearance of all other foliage, and the
flourishing condition of the vegetable kingdom in general
afford ample proof of it.—Plymouth Journal.
We are sorry to be informed that in portions of the
K King's County the new potatoes are infected with the
disease which proved so destructive to the last year's
crop.--Dublin Pilot.

THE HAnvExi.—The wheat harvest has generally
begun in this neighbourhood, but in some instances it has
been suspended, the straw, which has dyed of a most healthy
colour, being much forwarder than the- grain. So sapid has
been the ripening of the spring corn, that it also will be
ready next week should the rain continue to hold off. We
have not heard any deficiency of labourers.—Chelmsford
Chronicle.

ROSSINI'S NEW OPERA .0
For a long lapse of years the great Rossini, in Orel
of every entreaty, and of every tempting-offer, has x,
mained silent ; M.eyerbeer ultimately followed his?o,
ample ; Dunizetti, seizA by sudden -moral efflict:to
retired from the field, and severe illness appeareuxt,
condemn the young 'Verdi to the same melanchnii, to
ternative. When lyrical composition was reduce(' for
this hopeless state, suddenly Rossini, after resisting lb!
years every advance, appears to have been excitedoi
the wish, with his single magic power, to raise
tbs
great establishment, the Academie de Musique, from
utter degradation into which it Las fallen since Ing
days when, instead of artificially supporting the fal
courage of its artists, by the hint d applause of the cc
valiers du lustre, Comte Cry and Guillaume Tell etcly 'd
mended loud and spontaneous applause. It was earne,'; g •
urged uron Rossini by great personages that n"t'):0
but his interposition could save this national
to
of France from utter destruction ; and he gene° te,
cons= to forego his cherished habits of retireell'oo
and extend an aid so vitally important. M. Pellet
not a moment in availing himself of Ro.sini's unexPeAc
tW
and unhoped-fer kindness, and he at once repaire"„ce,
Bologna. Scribe, the unrivalled librettist of Fril'"ith
soon followed to harmonise his inspiration vinooin
Rossini ; but he was taken so ill (11°0
the journey, that his physicians intimated that
if he continued to exert himself he would be redti;te
to the same state of mental lethargy as the unfort,",o
Donizati. Upon this, Gustave Vat z was dispatched
Paris to replace Scribe and fortunately Rossini sy
highly pleased with the libretto he brought with hirlinft4,
specimen of his abilities. Ressini immediately set
and, at the outset, dispatched to England a person ''nre
in his name, offered the exclusive enjoyment of thetsc'tor
on this side of the Channel to his friend the Pr°l/i•etate
of her Majesty's Thea!re, who did not besld
to secure this valuable privilege for a i
Oh
sum. We mention this, not only because the :of
public will. be gratified next season by this ePenre
performed by the greatest lyrical artists, but still
t'd
because the deed of purchase, now duly. signed or
sealed, is an irrefragable proof how well founded
to
the rumours which have for the last three 101).
excited so many hopes and fears among the admirer:
Rossini's genius. Indeed, the news which we urciii
fortunate enough to be the first to authenticate v';' the
considered everywhere as a great event, and exeltebee
eager attention of the whole civilised world with 'l'd
operatic performances have become the most peralo"
of all the intellectual resources of recreation.

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