Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1845-08-28
ROT IN THE POTATO

We sorry say that this disease has m appearance
in this vicinity this years trust all the phenomena win be
carefully Observed especially Where any particular experiment
hnsbeon tried and tho results prepared for publications 1t only
by full knowledge cts and perhaps long series of oxper
mcnts, that the disease be UNDERSTOOD and remedy devils
ed. The following article from the last Albany Cultvaor, writ
ten by w. Bacon of Mass, is scasonablo:
Last fall, we ventured an opinion on the cause Of
the disease which as yet we have found no cause
to relinquish, but the contrary, from the facts
we have collected and observations we have made,
we have become more tenacious of its correctness
II was simply this that from some cause which we
did not then and cannot now define TO our own sat
lsaction, the potaoe vine was attacked with rust
similar to that we frequently the straw Of rye
and wheat That in the case Of the potatoe, il first
showed Itself in very small blotch on the side oil
the stalk when the latter at the particular point OF
disease, became dry and hard as though it had
reached It's maturity. The death Of the top of the
stalk of course soon follows but the lower part re-
mains green for while. The conjecture, Iii was
mere conlecture) we threw out, was this, whether
the sap which was now stopped by the dryness OF
the stalk in its usual channel of circulation and Of
COURSE prevented from passing into the leaf its nat
ura laboratory for preparation to return to the tu
Der and fulfil its accustomed service in giving il
noulshment, did not necessarily return premature
ly nd either from excess of quantity or bringing
back some quality which had better been given tC
the winds, induce the disease in the tubers Om
own potatoes were too far gone to experiment mucl
u pom, when we, surprised with the novelty of The
a elton, hit upon single plan to adopt. 1t appear
! ed to US, however as soon as we hoiC the mis-
! chief was progressing, that moving the tops wal
the best and perhaps the only efficient method t,
pursue. a neighbour whose crop was smitten Ions
after our own, tried this experiment by moving a
bout half field, as soon as the tops exhibited any
symptoms of the disorder, and the result was salts
factory and cheering Where the tops we're so cut
F1an vtn anon ,ft
the potatoes gave all the evidence of maturity
which circumstances Of the case could possibly adj
init Of, while the other part of the field suffered al
much from the rot as any in the vicinity. Here
then, is one instance in favor of our theory.
Other experiments were tried, of which we shal
cite but one or two. In one case farmer dug
very few hills when the vines first showed symp
toms Of disease, and carefully buried them and le
them remain until tie usual time of digging, wher
they were taken out all sound, while the most o
his crop had suffered essentially. There can b.
no doubt we think that when potatoes are dug 81
early the rot came last year, but that they mus
be put in small bodies and kept cool and exclude,
from the atmosphere. Their tendency to heat AM
thus become heavy and insipid warrants us in tina
conclusion, and so we infer that the letting then
remain IN hills with the tops taken off, until tn,
usual time OF digging, IS much cheaper and bet
ter way than TO dig and put in cellars, or on floor
in piles.
Hnou'el Coulse OF proceeding whlch mas come
under our observation adopted by some Irish
men, who had known this enemy to their favoritc
esculent in the old country" and which it may
not he useless to mention. When they saw thC
crop smitten, they dug it Immediately, and piet
the potatoes on the surface of the ground, taking
care to guard them from sunshine until the Job wal
completed when they covered the pile entirely witt
clay. The result was probably as they had know
it 10 be aforetime. Their crop was saved and thei
potatoes of good quality The clay, undoubtedly
acted as a twofold agent, kept them cool and ex
cluded the atmosphere and storms.