Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1846-09-24
From Sllimans Journal Of Science and Arts for Sep,
THE POTATO DISEASE.

uesitaoie 10 KNOW how Tar Investigations already
entered into, have proceeded towards the detection
OF the evil, and the suggestion of the remedy -
Little has as yet been done on any organized plan
IN tins country. In Europe, the case has been very
different. In Holland and Belgium committee
was first appointed to collect facts calculated to
throw light on the nature of the disease. I'm one
oil the Dutch provinces, Groningen, separate COM
mission was appointed for the same purpose.
In Germany, Liebig among others has turned his
attention TO the potaoe, and has lately published
some observations on its heterogeneous constituents.
A number Of the French philosophers, both "a
lone, and under the auspices of the Central Society
of Agriculture, have also attended to the subject
NJ Payen has lately published three or four reports
containing the results of elaborate microscopic and
chemical researches.
The English Government sent commission to
Ireland, of three distinguished scientific men, with
directions to obtain much information as possible
on the nature and extent of the disease In Scot
land originated the most extended scheme of all -
The subject was taken up in its several branches as
IL is connected with botany, meteorology, entomo-
| logy and chemistry. Each branch was referred to
competent person, and the investigation is still in
! progress.
|, is not as yet even certainly determined in what
form the disease first attacks the plant. great
number of observers have considered that ii is first
seen in patches of dark coorcd fungi on the leaves
thence gradually spreading down to the tubers-
DIR. Ferguson in Paris, and several others in Eng
land think that they have detected the sporules of
the fungus passing down through the stem in the
ordinary circulation of sap But there are well au-
thencated instances where the potato tops have re-
manned green and furnishing while the tubers were
much diseased it cannot therefore be said with
certainty that the disease first appears fungus
on the leaves
All agree that the heterogeneous compounds in the
tuber are affected first, and 10 peculiar state of
these constituents, Liebig and others have referred
the origin OF the disease The starch is attacked
last, and often remains uninjured when the walls of
the cellular tissue that encloses its globules are
nearly destroyed. From potatoes which have be-
come even offensive in their smell, perfectly GOOD
starch has been extracted The manufacture OF
starch becomes of great importance in the econom-
cal disposition of the diseased potato.
The report OF the Gronngen commission ascribes
the disease TO the wetnCSs and sudden changes OF
the two last years. NJ. Payen thinks that exccs-
sve moisture has predisposed the potato TO Weld TO
the attacks of fungi. Mr.. Phillips of London has
published pamphlet, in which ne ascribes the
whole thing to the same cause. These are only a
lew OF those who advocate this view of the ques-
ton All who have experienced much rain, assign
this as the cause Of disease, not knowing that it
has been quite as bad dry soils and where there
was but little rain. In all the west of Scotland the
summer of lS45 considered rather a dry one
and In ltlay, one of the western islands on the
Scotch coast, the streams had not been so low for
many years. The potatoes as much affected
In tins part OF Scotland as on the coast. These
facts seem quite decisive on the subject of wetncss
Tor one well authenticated case where the disease
has occurred under circumstances that preclude the
idea OF its being caused by wet renders the theory
quite untenable
1t is not so easy to decide whether atmospheric
influence is the cause of the disease. In order 10
arrive at any certain conclusion on this point eX-
tended meteorological observations are necessary
IL Is singular fact that three four counties form
ing the extreme northern point of Scotland were
entirely free from it, without any essential differ
ence In their season from that Of the other countless
SO far as was known by ordinary observers. The
ovcrseer of Mr. Fleming of Barochan in Renfrew-
shire, Scotland lifted from one of his fields on the
9th of September last OS45) about five hundred
weight of potatoes; these were stored in the house
and remained perfectly sound Mt the date of his
writing, in the middle of winter. From the same
field on the 10Th of September, Were lifted five
hundred weight more of the same potatoes These
after being in the house days. were tainted and
decayng, as was the before the end of Septem-
beT with all that left in the field In this in
stance, the crisis in the change from the healthy TO
the diseased tuber took place between the 9TH and
9th of September. If the disease had shown it
self at this time simultaneously in every part of
that district, this fact would 90 far to show that it
was caused by some atmospheric influence; but the
contrary was the case. In some fields it appeared
as as early as July, even on adjoining farms. The
cause then remains still mystery.
vi remedies Il very great number had been Sug-
gestcd; many without due consideration.
The commissioners sent by the English govern
mcn into Ireland were particularly unfortunate in
this respect, for want of little practical knowledge
I added to their undoubted scientific attainments.-
. All the means of prevention that have formerly
proved successful failed during the last year An
excellent method has been to change the seed every
year, taking it from high country TO the lowlands
but this found to have lost its efficacy. Gvp-
sum, and hot saked lime have also been of little
benefit. The grccniRg of potatoes intended FOR
seed, by letting them lay in the SUM- has been much
recommended and on cutting up the sun burned
potatoes 1T has been found according TO some state
ments. that the greened parts never diseased.
1t may be well to turn attention to this subject In
former years some persons succeeded in nvigOra-
ting the crop by of certain saline 1rianurcs
and even during the last season it was thought that
they were in some degree beneficial. We arc not
that any plan heretofore suggested has proved
uniformly successful over any great breadth of
country.
The preservation Of the crop during the winter
has excited the deepest interest and here also the
number OF methods proposed defes enumeration
The result of all the trials seems TO be that the dis
ease makes very slow progress, and in many in
stances none nj all when the potatoes are kept peJ
Jectty dry and 'ccA rentiLted. Both of these con
ditons seem absolutely essential packing them in
dry absorbent earth. and even in charcoal. has
proved signal failure. II is necessary i'm any case
where the disease has made much progress to pick
over the heaps frequently and carefully select ali Of
the affected tubcrs. Kiln drying has been rcsortcd
TO in Of eXtremity this preserves the potato
for food, buttf course destroys its vitality
OF the various plans proposed for the planting of
potatoes in spring has been found more cffica
cious than cutting carefully selected potatoes into
sets, containing each two or three healthy eyes
These sets are sprnkied with sulphhric or hydro