Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1845-01-13
THE POTATO DISEASE.

observations upon This disease. we exda
from the n E. Farmer all that is in advance
of forme: MISUNDERSTANDING Farmer.
Il have first to notice the idea that tins
arises from worms, which arc fOand in the
decayed potato, and remark!
list. That the worms are tic same winch
are found IN all rotten potatoes, from whale
yer cause the decay may arise. f
I'd. The potatoes decay previous TO II 10
worms appearing, for the worms are Eevcr
found in the sound part of the potato, eating
heir way in or dcpos,ing their eggs, ror
have | ever seen the worms in that part Of
the potato in which the fungus has already
commenced negotiating: it is only in the
most roaon part that tho worries exist, after
the fungus has caused this decay.
Sd: Salt instantly kills the wo,ms, as any
ore may satisfy HIMSELF with the assistance
Of the common compound microscope.
Under the full impression of the existence
OF the fungus in the potato, two questions
present themselves
Is. Is the fungus the cause of the dc
cay, or merely growth OH the tuber alrea-
dy diseased from some other cause ?-and
I'd. When and in what part of the plant
the disease originates, and how is il propo-
gated and disseminated?
The probability IS tina. the fungus is TIE
cause of the disease--for the fungus ap-
pears on Tie skin of the potatoc, and can
be traced by its gradually dark color pene-
tra,ing from the outside by degrees into the
sound inside, the outside fungus developing
itself first. and producing slime aud rotion
ness, while the inside yet remins firm and
sound. If the fungus resulted from the ro-
tatoe first becoming rotton, and thus form
inc favorable circumstances for IFS yegeta-
ton, then tie presumption is .ha. we sao, Id
occasionally, although pc haps rarely, find
parts Of The potatoe rotton mit tom the fun
gus, which |, at least. Easc never YET seen.
| have often seen heaps of rolon potatoes,
wilhou, ever hatLrc observing ths peculiar
fungus, which; OH account of its smell, cam
not be m sakcn
regret that had not commenc d lis
Investigation early enough 10 have examined
the stalk and its Junction with the tuber, with
the microscope, on the first appearance of
It's dropping, as all the proof now TO be ex-
pccted from experiments, can only be ola
negative character: however here are such
results as have Obtained
Isl. One of these much diseased potatoes
was Gu! in halves; each half was placed on
half sound potato, in perfect contact, pa-
ccd under bell glass in a damp, dark amc
pharo, temperature 81 TO e2. In five days
the sould potato was not in the slightest de-
gree contaminated with the fungus OF tie
wor.rs.
Cd. A whole diseased potato, covered
with black spots, was placed under glass,
in the same circumstances as experiment
No. |, in contact with "a whole sound potato.
The fifth day the sound potato remained uE-
) contaminated and without worms
/ Sd. A whole and much diseased potato
was buried two inches below the surface Of
, the soil which was damp but not wet. A
sound potato was buried in the same soil,
two and half inches distant from it, the
} temperature kept as belorc-57 10 81. In
2 five days this latter remained quite sound.
1t is possible that five days is not long
enough have therefore left them all in the
same state, and shall not touch then: for three
or four weeks. Should any change tlke
place, will inform you.
A New LIGHT.-We find in the Cir.
cinnati Advertiser the following account Of
an invention for producing light. There
seems to be no reason for doubling the
truth OF the story, except its size. In that
respect it is no more rema kabe than the
acknowledgment. a little time Will de-.
termine.
In the Advertiser of the 4lh September,
under the head Important Discorcry,"I
announced the fact that q new species Of
light, fur surprising the Drummond in in
in our city, and would be submitted TO the
public inspection, SO soon as the necessary
letters patent were obtained for the discove-
ry. II was stated that hall light, of ordi-
nary size for table use, had enabled print
to be read at the distance Of three hundred
feet, the glass, in this instance, being rem
dered scmi-opaqae by grinding This had
become necessary 10 rcducc the intensity
OF light, for practical purposes, the full
brilllancy being equal to the sun at noon
day. II was stated, also, that tower 200
: feet high, or even less, would suffice 10
light the whole city, and that the tower
when built could be light d at nm expense
of three hundred dollars. Finally, i, was
alleged that this discovery had been tested
: for the past five months. When stated
VI 'hi's VIZ" PCiiCSiiy aware tIat tiic az
count would stir up a vast deal Of incredu-
lity. have now the pleasure TO say that
all this is true, and that, IN the case Of
the Queen of Sheba, the half has pot been
told. At that time was not at liberty 10
say mere, but now sia.e:--
l. That this light is Magneiicosolccrical.
2. Tint it is poluced by permanent
magno,s, which may he increased to any
indefinite extent. Fhc apparatus now fin
iShing by the inventors or DISCOVERIES in this
case, will possess twenty magnets.
g. That it supplies a light whose brllan-
cy is insuppoTtable TO the naked eye.
A. That tower Of adequate height will
enable light to be dllused all over, Gin
cinnati, equal for all practical purposes TO
that Of day.
5. That this light when once set in ope-
ration will coninus 10 illuminate without
one cent of additional expense.