Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1843-09-22
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From he Book Of fb, Ea,n

DISEASE THE PorAro-The Potato is subject TO dis
case al very early period of its existence merely after
has developed its stems and leaves but before germ
has rsen from the SETS The disease which affects the
plant Is called the cURI from the curled or crumped ap
pearance which the leaves when under the in.
ence OF disease. What the immediate cause of the disease
IS, II is difficult to say; but the puny and stined
leaves indicate weakness the constitution of the plant
und like weak animals, affected with constitutional dis
ease the small ubers produced by cured potatoes when
planted propagate the disease the crop The curl
is so well known by its appearance and the cured plant so
generally summed as seed that the disease willing
propagaed by the cuitvaor; still there circum-
stances IN the management, Of the tubeEs which induce the
disease therein.
The experiments of Mr.. T Dickson show that the dis
ease arises from the vegetable powers of the planted
having been exhausted by overponig the sets from the
waXy end OF the potato produced healthy plants whereas
those from the best Pened end did vegeate at all
produced cured plants IL is the opinion of Mr. Crchon
that the curl in the potato often occasoned by the
way the potatoes are treated that intended for seed
have Observed he wherever the scsd stock Is care
fully ped and not exposed the air. the SPRING the
crop has seldom any curl but where the seedstock is put
INTO baTis and ouhousos Tor months together such crop
seldom fails OF turning oui great curled and
1t butte curl the hrs year, If they planted again,
more than probable the half OF them will curl next season
The other disease affects the seeds or sets and Is called
the failure an which Of the destruction of their
vital powers Many conecures have been hazared as TO
the cause OF the failure and Of them ascrbed il
10 the iermened of the dung 10 the drought of the
season. 10 the heating Of the SETS ubor being cut in
to SETS and other secondary causes but all these conec
lures leave untouched the principal consideration in the
question, how these circumstances should induce fail
ue now and not in bygone years. Cut sets have been
used for many years without causing failure Farmyard
dung, in various of decomposition has been used as
long for raising potatoes The extraordinary drought of
le26, caused no failure while in comparatively cool
the disease has made great havoc Mr. John Shirre takes
general and philosophical view Of tho Of disease in
the potato CROP and though doubt his observations are
particularly applicable TO the curl, still they will apply equal.
y well TO the ain for the connection between the two
diseases Is so intimate that you have seen Mr. Dckson's
observation IS that some sets ibid not vegea,e all that
is ialed or produced curcd plants. Mr. Shire adopts
the general doctrine preached by Mr. Knight "The max
imum OF the duration Of the life Of any individual vegcia
bic and animal" he SAYS as predetermined by nature IN
der whatever circumstances the individual may be placed;
the minimum, the other hand, determined by these
very circumstance Admitting then, that potato might
reproduce itself from tubers for great number of wears in
the shady woods OF Peru, It seems destined become
boruNe M the cultivated champaign Of Britain insomuch
that not single healthy plant OF any sort OF potato that
yields berries and which in culture 90 years ago can
now be produced Mr.. Shirrcf concludes therefore, that
the potato Is 10 be considered shorived plant and that
though its health vgor may be prolonged by rearing in
elevated shady situations or by cropping the flowers
and thus preventing the plants from exhausng thcmsc
the only sure way 20 obtain vigorous plants and insure
productive crops 10 have frequent to new yare,
ties raised from seed Tie same view had occurred Dr.
Hunter.
The fact ascersucd nv MI knight deserves to be no.
tced that by planting late in the season. perhaps in June
or even IN July exhausted good variety may in great
measure be estoed that is the tubcr resulting from the
late planting when again planted the ordinary season
produces the Kind IN Its pristine vgor and Of its former
size.
Ii is obvious that all these opinions refer 10 the possibility
Of plants indicating constitutional weakness and why may
not the potato have all along been Of the opinion that
The failure has arisen from this does seem To
me be feutcd BY the fact that certain varieties Of
have been cultivated for many years in the locality
without fail; because is well understood that every va
rey Of potato has not indicated failure, and one locality
may be more favorable 20 retention Of vgor Of constitution
than another aleas, may easily believe this and dis.
cepanees in the case may arise since do yet know
the circumstances which must Of necessity produce cons
tutonal weakness.
have no doubt in my own mind. that seed potatoe.
securely ped until they about be panted-not oy
ernPoned before they were taken Of the ground-thc
sets cut tom the espss ubers aud from the waxy end