New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-10-14
The Potato Disease.

NeSTs EdIHS % me IT0hHe
There have been many speculations relative to
what is termed the Potato Disease, and many expert
ments have been made and much investigation devoted
the subject both in this country and in Europe by
learned and scientific men to discover the and
renud eo and thus far it is conceded that all their
efforts have proved entirely ruess and abortivc And
has thus far looked searched for the cause
from what believe and confident is its true source,
am by the great importance OF the subject constrained
to submit my views to the public through the columns
of your widely. circulated journal and will do so as
briefly as the nature of the subject will permit
From the first description that heard OF the loss OF
the potatoes in different parts of Europe 10 the present
time has been evident beyond doubt that the
of the in the potato and is minute animal
euie. To the question II this is SO, whence comes
the anmalcule' IGnsrey from ara,c And TO the ques
tion-How come the animalcule in the potato will
endeayor TO fully explicitly and trust salts
factorly The proper element of the sninalcule is wa
ter and by the evaporation of the water containing
them, they are carried up and become embodied in the
cloud formed by such evaporation but the cloud const
tutes only part of shower or of storm, which
is driven by adverse winds the face of the Earth
those parts OF the shower storm. formed by the
evaporation the containing the animalcule
by the force oi the winds. broken up and scattered IN
many directions distributing the animalcue by the fall
ing rain sections remote from each other and in
some places more in others less. Thus field OF
poatoeF may be entirely destroyed. while its neighbur
only the fourth OF mile distant escapes unframed.
The anmalculc falling with the rain is intercepted 10y
the vine and Leaf OF the potato and by whatever else In
terteres with fall The vines and leaves OF the pota
well adapted for the protection and preservation
of the animalcue having rough soft, porous surface
which il instantly penetrucs and thus escapes destruction
BY the first bright sunshine. The annacule is caught
by the descending current OF sap i'll the vine and car
ed the potio at the root OF the vne where its future
action is determined by circumstances.
For instance II the potato is grown in wet clay or nd
hesive soil the action of the nnsculc immediate and
the destruction of the potato is soon effected But the
soil dry if does adhere TO the potato, the AMI
macule becomes located in the potato ready Tor acton
when the of the potato suitable and this depends
entirely upon the manner III which the potato Is gather
| ed and housed.
In all cases the potato should be perfectly dry and free from
all aoSye before thcy placed IN the bins. They shontd
be put naturally dry or cellar acuh high ceinss
and al ap temperature Of dboH t0rtyfre df9rS and
oherc there R be any change IN the atmosphere Ans
alcule located potatoes housed la this manner, dRpre
bend tcod dormant and Racttres0 long as the Pc
,a,oes remain Sdistbcd But If the potatoes put In
TO dry cellar, where there Is changing at
mosphere the unimalcue will work through the potato
producing the slow, dry hard rot And again II the po
atoes put into room or cellar naturally damp ana
where there constant change OF the atmosphere the
anmnculc will soon be in rapid action and all the pota
toes soon DESTROYED by the wet rot potato perfectly
free free from anmRlcule laying in contact with one al
eced with the rot Is from The adhcsveness OF Tue
rot of the decayed potato rendered susceptible 10 the
anmnlcuie in it. and in turn Is soon destroyed but
potato affected with the dry cannot communicate the
| anualcule potato free from II.
There Messrs Editors. views on the SUBJECT OF
the called Potato disease. submit them 10 me
public in the firm and confident belief that they WI! DC
fully confirmed and established by future Investigations
and experiments and for the purpose o! attracting al
,ention TO- and investigation of the subject more fully
and as tending confirm my views state Ms my De
lief that the anmacule Is no. conhned TO thc potato
alone hut that apps are and other fruits be affected
by it Last year examined many apples and ON cutting