New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-07-24
Potato Blight.


TO N, Editor Of The Tribune:
knowing tina, YOU feel deep interest in the wei
fare Of the farmer. send you few observations on
the cause OF the disease in Potatoes so prevalent
las, year. which think have discovered and per
haps remedy
This morning. for the first time observed lew
tops of the Potatoes in my garden beginning to
wi,hcr aud curl up. Surprising that the cause
nigh, be near at hand / commenced a critical ex-
animation Of several wthercd tops 70 discover 1t II
,os.iblc / soon found green fly about one fourth
Of an inch in length, upon every top that had begun
10 withcr and on most OF them two some had TOUR
q few SIX On one top ! found four young flies
about one half the size of the adult, and on three
others. one each about one fourth grown
This insect | thought, must be the cause OF the
d,sease commonl, called the CurlTop or Potato.
Rot, since found il on every diseased top in 80 or
40 cases. and usually that part of the plant which
had bepup 10 wither near the healthy part OF the
stem On the stem Of one where the ny was there
was a small globule OF vlscid transparent liquid
This stem had begun droop bat only so iille that
il would scarcely be observed. Another globulc on
The upper side OF a cured leaf, on which iiy was
sitting was found TO be sweet Many of the leaves
that were much wilied felt a. II gluiinous liquid
had been spread upon the upper surface. These
questions. then, naturally arose;
Does this liquid exude from the plant and attract
the fy which is innoccnty slipping ms nectar or
does he perioratc the stem and cause the exudaiion
that like malicious parasite he may extract the HE
from this useful root II appears to me that the
insect must be the of the oxidation for tins
reason that il was found on no plant that did not
have a fly upon H.
In almost every case two flies were found upon
the same plant differing little in size and color
the less being of darker green and the larger con
tanning many eggs which II appeared to be deposit
ing Only one egg was found in the stem OF the
plant, YET there were many apparently siuns
upon the diseased stem, and the effect OF tins reach
ed down in some cases three or four inches IN the
heart of the stem; others were followed down a.
far as the healthy part
From the above observations these conclusions
appear TO bc evident that tse sting OF this fly causes
the curl iop--ihai II breeds upon the stem and the
numerous progeny live upon the plant, sucking uI
its iuiccs and destroying lie vitality. AS remedy
ampuiaicd the diseased part and destroyed all the
flies could About 10 o'clock | sprnklcd soap
suds upon one small patch and none were found
upon Il at night, though many were found upon
another piece that was not showcrod. An hour be
fore sun set sprinklod the suds left from washing
upon the whole
The flies can perhaps bc driven out OF the hcl'
with bush where II Is not convenient to shove
them. Yours. Ac. l.. IL.
PoMrry. " y. July II, lsi5.
L. =.
made and only one tly was 10 be found on the piece
Ell Don NpOs-lt is amusing sometimes 10 lister
10 the tales that are told 10y settlers, 10 cnthu
riasiic travellers of new countries One would think
listening to them and Judging of these countries by
them. that they Were Ldcns. nothing more or less.
We met with one of these aNecrs settlers
rather not long since. II n rainy day, an,
the wind had suddenly chopped round from III,
South West Ia the North. East Oh said he
what climate he was born and bred in Ohio.
| should die here Where | live We have no sucl
CHANGES The soil is rich the climate steady ever,
thing az it should be " And pray where do yol
hive" asked an inquisitive farmer. In such
county in Missouri was his response. Water i
plenty there said the farmer iAquiringly. why
tina, is one small difficulty We have as much a w
want but il is rather hard 10 get" There are ne
chills aud icvcrs dosgcdly continued the qucrisi
None To speak only strangers have to be accli
mated" Teachers and schoolmastcrs very album
dani suppose our friend continued. w ny the,
are always scarce in new country but we have
them sometimes. and when we have them we get a
much good out Of them as If they were with US a.
WAYS" CO. No snakes. small troubles such "a
blacksmithine. carpcntcring, docionns &c, ra,hel
scarce and hard "a get asked again the farmer
.sWhv" replied our settler. Cd" we have OF cours'
these difficulties to contend with; but what arr
they ?" Oh nothing. rejoincd tie farmer, only
would rather have our climate vifhOut these dlih
culcs than live Ia yours with them.
Cincinnati Gazette
~ Green. the Reformed Gambler, i lecturine
nj Cleveland In a speech al Temperance meeting h,
!. d hn skff llsk her