Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1845-11-06
Agricultural.
From the New England Farmer
Cause of and Remedy for, the POtatOe Rot.

Cause Of and Remedy for, the POtatOe ROt
We have thought proper to copy from the Lor
don Gardeners Chronicle, of Sept. 10, 1916, th
report of the examination of Professor Charles Nor
rem, OF Brussels into the and remedy for tina
dreadful scourge, the potatoe rot. We have don
tins because the high estimation in which his taI
enls are held in Europe a vegetable physiologs
| places him among the first authorities on the sub
| Iect; and because gentlemen of his scient6,
character and attainments would be very cautious
IN sending forth to the world any opinion at all OF
such an important subject that had not been ex
amined with the most scrupuous care, aud with the
light afforded by the improved state Of science
and, lastly, because the cause assigned and rene.
dies prescribed by Prof Morren, very nearly in.
deed, coincide with those suggested by our esteem
ed scientific friend j L. Teschmacher. Esq. which
were first published in the New England Farmer
The following is the extract:
81 learn by letters from several friends thai the
disease which affects the potatoe crops in the
Channel Islands, and in several parts of EuuIand
IS universal IN Belgium, and almost all through
France; and as Prof Morren, of the University of
LeIge, has described the malady, and the remedy
TO be immediately applied have seized the 6rsi
moment OF leisure TO translate part of letter which
he has inserted in the Indepeadaace of Brussels for
the benefit OF those whom it may concern
1.-The real cause Of the disease is ,aiLfen1 G,a-
gus, which scientific men class under the head Bo-
trytls; but which farmers will easily distinguish
ana VIII name spot, scorch, or burn. Some will
attribute IT 10 humidity others to dry winds. 10
insects, &c. Nevertheless, il is Of consequence
10 know the real cause Of this phenomena for the
knowledge OF II puts the farmer on the road TO d.
mln'sh or destroy, If II is possible, the evil
The Professor has, for several days, followed
the progress of the dsease'in several potatoe fields
IN ha fottn
dy decidedly commences by the upper part of ;he
leaves; IN several instances he has seen the flow
ers and the sced-vessels first attacked A part of
the green tissue looses its color and become vel.
low the spots soon after become grey. and il is
always on the under part of the leaf or on the seed
vessels, that, the next day or two DAYS after The
leai has turned yellow that you perceive the form
alton oil iohte do'cn. The microscope shows tina,
ihis down is formed by fungus, which fructi6es
between the numerous hairs garnshinr the under
parts of the potatoe leaf This fungus is extreme.
" Tim; but II iructihes immensely and reproduces
i'seli by millions The Professor, after having civ
en- minute detail Of the size, &c. concludes This
part oil his letter by saying: Farmers will tell me
'hai lhls is very small body 10 cause such i'm
mense ravages; but will answer that the itch is
not malady less to be feared because the aeareus
which causes ii, is microscopic object 1t is az
ter the leaves have turned yellow, and the botrytis
has made It's appearance, that the stem is affected
Here aud there the epidermis turns brown and
black, and when you follow, with the use of the
microscope, the infection, you soon perceive that
II is by the skin that the stem is attacked The
morbid agent carries its action from the skin 10 The
epidermis, and tho you do not perceive fungus on
ms last par, II IS not the less struck with death
For those who have few notions of vegetable
physiology, these effects are explained. The san
modified in living juice, in vegetable blood. forms
itself IN the leaf aud descends through the skin in
the stem aud the roots There the sap being sick
~ deadly, carries the poison from the leaf into the
STEM and kills il, The fact is, that as soon as the
black spots are seen on the stem, the lenves dry
and die, and struck with death by a poisonous /
mushroom, they fall unfortunately to deposite in
'ne ground the germs of the poison The Infection
soon descends into the potatoe, and the malady
iolows lis natural course, it is soon affected with
the gangrenei II turns brown or yellow, sometimes
grey and dark is soon spoiled, and the smell is so
dlsagreeaole, that the animals refuse 10 eat them
The disease being now known the attention of
agricullurlss ought to be turned to diminish as
much as possible the evil because il is well known
ihat all diseases will affect the corn crops. DC
once introduced into the country, remain and prop
oga'e more ana more This year the epidemic
seems to be universal the germ is every where /;
and II aIemedy is not Immediately applied. the
crops VIII be effected next year and then il will
Dc more dlhcult TO extrpaie the evil
:, l. when The poiatoe-haun is infected with
llsease' NOW It down, and immediately burn IT.
. Act IN the same way in potatoe fields tho, /.
seem TO have escaped the infection; for tbonoh
hey may appear so 10 the eye, yet they NAV no,
nave escaped the disease. 3. The potatoes dis
saseu ought also to be burned. A. The seed for
next yesr ought to be stepped with lime. suIpbate
y copper, or common salt, diluted in water IN or
Ter to Kill the fungus, if any, on the potatoe
}. The potatoe-6elds of next year ouohti IN he os