The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-11-26

EDITORS coRREspoNDENcE.
From our regular correspondent
Nrw Yonx. NV. % 19d

/
$50 New YoRK, Nov. IS, l845
Probably no greater calamity could befall Eu-
rope, and particularly Ireland, than permanent
disease in the potato The introduction Of ibis es-
culent root greatly augmented the population Of the
| country. The produce Of one acre Of land became
susceptible Of maintaining from four TO five times
as many persons as il was capable Of doing when
planted with anything else.
IL is said by some political economist, that there
is point beyond which the population Of coun-
try cannot be carried; that when il reaches maxi
num- as many die Of starvation are born; hence
further progress is checked. II is said, IL
were discovered for consumption, and carried to
China il would not augment the population; that,
having attained maximum, or a density COM
mensurate with the utmost means of support,
many would die Of starvation as would be cured Of
disease.
In ireland, before the introduction of the potato,
II is said population had reached It's maximum; but,
since that period, the population has vastly increased
II has again approached maximum beyond which
average crops of potatoes, to some extent, fail TO
carry il. To sustain il, however, in lis present
magnitude admits of no diminuton in the usual
supply Of food If Ireland were deprived ofan
tire crop of potatoes, unless government aid were
exerted to prevent ii, large tracts Of the island
would be nearly depopulated by famine--the most
dreadful calamity that can befal people, as it lights
upon the weak and defcnceless, such as women
and children, as well as upon the strong and able
bodied. Well may alarm justly exist in Great Britain
for the partial failure Of the potato crop in that
unhappy land
Would not the change Of seed prevent future
currence of the roti It is well known that the po-
tato went from America. Why not obtain sup
ply of American secd-potstoes fer the next crop !
Il is well known that exotcs which thrive well for
number of years, ultimately become defective and
liate to disease; but on obtaining "a fresh impor-
taiion of seed, they will become as good as ever.
| suppose no experiment Of carrying seed pota-
toes from America TO Europe has been tried within
century In our own country, our potato seed
requires changing. In the southern States, unless
fresh seed potatoes obtained every year or two
from the northern States, they deteriorae end be-
come worthless. The country bordering on Lake
Superior, where arable produces the finest potatoes
in America. 1t is supposed the Irish potato is a
native of the elevated portions Of the Andes in
South America. II grows best in cold high lat-
tudes, land in the tropics elevated to cold
temperature.
The Courier dss Eiats Unis of the 2lst instant
gives the following table Of the prices of railroad
shares, taken from the Bowrss in Paris. 1t en-
braces the two last weeks in October just prior to
the sailing of the steamer, viz; the 18th, 25th
and 3lst Of October 1t would seem from this Ia
BILE, that the railroad speculation in France, at the
last quotations, had received very serious check
Shares stood as follows on