Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-02-05
.FgriClEEtGErGI.
From BossOn's Dissertations on the Potato,
The Potato Plague.
Causes of the Diseases and Remedies Stated.

cause CT the malady that threatens total des-
ruction of the potato crop in the world, and the
appropriate and simple remedies that will be
found eflicacious in staying its further progress
in the crop Of 1876, and preventing it for future
time.
The prevailing theories on the subject may be
.ecaptulaed as follows:
/. Atmospheric influences,
g Effects of MANURE
g. Wet weather.
a. Dry weather.
s. Excessive heat and cold
g. Deterioration Of the plant
T. Parasitcal influences.
g. Attack of the mould
O. Over Cultivation.
10. Over ripenng.
1t must be evident even to the most superllu-
Gus observer, that cause must be found that is
universal in its effects because the disease has
spread throughout the world, regardless of eli
innate, soils or manures; warm or cold attitudes !;
in hot, dry, wet, and cold seasons; under every
4 possible feature of cultivation and in every con-
dion of the crop, as managed by all sorts of far
uCTS, Throughout lllG WllUlC Ol tlllo Country anu
all the countries Of Europe. These facts re-
4 mambcred, we must discard the idea that atmos-
pheric influences would produce it; excessive
heat or cold could not affect the crop so unver-
sally The disease has been steadily increasing
for years in defiance Of all the conditions that
these various theories would establish as govern
ing the maIady. They are partial in their ope-
rations, and must, therefore, be rejected as in
sufficient, The cause of rot, says an intelligent
writer, cannot be in the soil, since we find heal
thy and diseased potatoes growing beside each
other; that is TO say, on soils of the same con-
stitution we sometimes find the rot in alternate
plants or in whole rows 1t cannot be attrib-
uted to the atmosphere, as all the tubers receive
the same kind and nearly the same quantity. 1t
must, therefore, be attributed to the potato itself
We have, then, to consider the most popular
theory which ascrIbes the disease to the nAu-
ence of the growth Of fungi. This position is
the one taken by the principal vegetable phys-
ologists of Great Britain and this country, and
the most of the directions pubshed'in the agr-
cultural papers are made with reference to this
fact. That this is not the true cause Of the dis
ease, is, think, made sufficiently clear by the
concluding paragraphs of the last chapter. That
evidences Of the appearance of fungi have been
discovered, and are dscoverabIe in all diseased
potatoes, do not deny, but assert that they
are a consequence of disease and not the cause
Liebig says in his Chemistry of Agriculture
"The microscopial examination of vegetable and
animal matter, in the act of fermentation or pu-
refaction, has lately given rise to the opinion
that these actions themselves, and the changes
suffered by the bodies subjected TO them are pro-
duced in consequence of the Development of
fungi, or of microscopcal animals, the germs,
or egg: Of which are supposed to be ditfused
every where, ina manner inapprecable to our
senses they are supposed to be enveloped when
they meet with medium fitted to give them
nourlshment,
1t is certain that sponges and fungi, grow
ing in places from which light is excluded, fol-
low laws of nutrition different from those GOV
erning green plants and it cannot be doubted
that their noQrishulcnt is derived from putrehcd
bodies, or ftom the products of their putrelaction
which pass directly into this kind of plants, and
obtain an organized form by the vital powers re-
siding within them. During their growth they
constantly emit carbonc acid, increasing in
weight at the same time, while all other plants,
under similar circumstances, would decrease in
weight. Hence it is possible and indeed prob
able, that fungi may have the power of growing
in fermenting and putrefying substances, in as
far as the products arising from the putrefaction
arc adapted for the nourishment."
The truth with regard to the appearance Of
fungi in potatoes is, then simply this The dis
ease crisis In the potato; putreactlon takes
place, and these germs or eggs which Liebig
supposed to be every where, find i'll the diseased
potato their proper nourIshment, and hence they
begin to grow. IT, as is asserted, the germs Of
fungus are dihused every where, why do they not
affect all other crops in a similar manner! Sim
ply because other crops are not diseased. But
over-ripe vegetables, fruit, and decayng or pu-
tretying vegetable substances are affected in a
similar degree because they are putrelymg they
are not purifying because of the fungus.
But admitting for moment that the presence
of fungi is the cause of rot, certain and i'm
mediate remedy is at hand; for, "when the po-
tato crop has been furnished with sufficient al
kali, the fungi have nothing to feed on, and do
not attack the potato" and further, off we ap-
ply strong alkaies in sufficient quantities to any
plants liable to attack from mildew, rust, blight,
&C., (Which are various deveopements of fungi, J
before they are attacked they WiN soon be freed
from them." Now alkalies have been applied
in considerable quantities to potatoes, and while
growing they have not been attacked by the rot,
but after gathering and harvesting disease has
appeared and destroyed them, showing concIu-
sively that fungi is not the cause, but that deep
er one must be sought and mo:e radical rem
edy applied.
What, then, are the causes of this extensive
evil | state them thus
Over Ripening,
Over Cultivation,
To which might be added,