The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-03-30

KNOWN During the second Stage OF It's destructive career
raverses several yards hs however, depends on CIR
cumstances IN extremely warm evenings, or IN bright
moonlight, IT is seldom seen,) attacking different nils
The extreme heat and drought at this period, IRON the
oath August to the 18th September unquestlonaby ma
tured produced decomposition OF the tuber sooner than
usual and nearly eytirpated them here and elsewhere
where il prevailed few full grown IN a decaylng
condition, were found in my field, where the soil was
cold and retentve of mosture-consequeny few tubers
were perforated The egg not discovered IN more
than one out of thousand The heat and drought OF
sl5 also favorable for Ms destruction As iar as
my observations have extended there is an abundant
supply both of the egg and lave in the uber to produce
considerable increase of the wet and dry rot in lSi7
Many of these destructive reptiles destroyed, before
and after arriving maturity, by the field ant and other
carnvorous insects In this form OF the disease the FIRST
setting of the crop located under the seed tuber
which contained the egg, undergoes RAPID decompo
stion The egg is generally deposited IN the I'd set
ting contiguous to putrld tuber The question
will naturally arise, what becomes OF the numberess
Matched from the egg, Independent OF those des-
troyed by the ant, &c 1t is weknown fact to every
naturalist that most OF the ovpera OF whatever genera
species produce and depose the egg, without
having been in the presence of the male; such eggs how
not reproductive. This circumstance occurs
among the feathered species, especially domestcated
fowls; several varieties of the field ant doubtless the
worm. The subject has not been as extensively nvesi-
gated it might be- The potato worm is not a cureu-
Go il does not undergo state of transformation, but re-
produces its species annually from the egg No doubt
the period of its destructive is limited at the
praon of whchit will disappear irrespective of exterior
causes The dry rot is another and distinct form OF dis
ease-the worm has not been discovered to have had
any agency in its production We have had ocular dem
onstraon OF the fact in several instances; that II is OF
terrestrial origin admits of not shadow of doubt; two
fields adjoining each other of similar tllage soil and loca-
tion planted with the variety of white potatoes
taken from the heap and grown the same field
the yield OF the produced tar crop OF similar tubers
while the hall OF the other was destroyed by the dry rot
That also subsequently propagaes Its species from the
uber is clearly evient that like the worm 1t perforaes
and deposes the Larvae egg in the sound uber of the
IS
species the succeeding year The fact has been confirmed
in the growth OF affected young potatoes grown and at
ached to the tuber in cellars and elsewhere. recent
discovery length sences all remaining doubts the
subject The Larvae or indus has been found located
the hllum, more specifically than the egg OF the
worn extremely small, of clear white, bright color, in
Dictated by the tuber thus affected exhibiting ivid
brownish color where ii is deposited The tuber gener-
ally continues sound to the period OF planting and even
longer.
Ii will be perceived that | have stated facts without
comment The length of such article would be mad
MISSILE for publication have not therefore undertaken
refue any of the theories advanced on the
subject One of the positions taken by learned
professors ought not to pass unnoced few words will
suffice They assert that the bonyds, extremely small
mushroom parasitical plant covering the bloch and
other portions of the decayng stem, is the OF the
diseased tuber assert, and have frequently SINH
lar phenomena my garden different species and varie
ties of plants the seed beet carrot, and parsnp pro-
duce similar parasites when the root is invaded by
worm The young peach tree and shrubs in general
hib like appearance the leaf and young scons when
the root is severely wounded by the curcuo, "a fact well
known to intelligent and practical horlculturaists y that
nature, kind and benefcent in her operations
guided and supported by unerrng Providence, has
endowed every plant with the power and capacity OF
throwing off to the surface, by of excetory YES
sells, any superluOus vltiaed substance injurious to
the plant which pervades the circulating fluld that 1t
cannot be attributed to any of the numerous local causes
that have been advanced nor to atmospherca influence
vicissudes of temperature cloudy weather. heavy rams
excessive heat, drought, miasma, &c. We have ire
quenty had similar seasons of them more unfavor-
able to the growth and production OF sound and healthy
tuber without affecting it, that the disease was as dis
many sections of this country where they
loyed favorable season. 1t proved to be when was
much less proptous for the development OF far and
healthy crop that neither climate variety OF SOIL low
elevated locations, southern northern positions or
exposures escaped the dreadful pestence in infected
district Notwithstanding the numerous remedies re-
sorted to for its prevention, with the exception of few
solitary locations. which healthy disnfected tubers
planted, the the indus did not exist in
the SOIL the latter of which doubtless feeds grows and is
brought to maturity by subslsng on the root anu sub
sequenty deposites the arve in the skin Of the tuber-
fact which the decaying condition OF the root prior to
the affection of the stem or tuber always exhibits The
curly top is modification OF the dry rot The root is
attacked in similar manner but earlier IN the season,
doubtless by minute insects, and soon destroyed The
tuber produces, the first setting from TO in number,
of stined size, aodng in bulk, in the aggregate, not
more than sixth of ordinary crop. The tuber is
generally sound far my observations have extended
Planting such ubers would extlrpate that portion
of the species. The vital importance of the subject and
to abbrevate and condense 1t both in the selection OF
language and expression OF ideas acknowledged fault
An examination relative TO the cause OF the disease :
that the has fixed period of return conformable
to the established laws of nature, like the curcuio and
many circumstances connected with and reave to the
growth of the next potato crop useful and important to
the farmer that the fertile and loomy soil OF Ireland,
Belgium the northern and middle portions of France and
portions OF Germany and Prussia, favorable to
the production of the worm, and its reproduction by
means of the infected tuber, few or camvorou. in
existing in the soil to diminish their numbers. If
the remedy hereuno annexed should amount to more than
partial failure, all probability nothing short OF the
protecting power of kind, benehcent and mercful
Providence arrest the dreadful and deporabe pest
unless its extinction is drawing a Close which is high
ly improbable Comments the several subjects Just
referred to, are necessarily omitted for want of space
while several topics of equal importance have not been
alluded to-
RULES AND DIRECTIONS FARMER will
state them aconicalythe result of practical experiments
and occuar demonstration Do not plant potato, the
product of the curly top Do not plant those apparently
sound, if avodabe considerable portion oil the crop
having been destroyed by the wet rot, unless
attended by the favorable circumstances of 1874 examine
closely and cut out the egg and indus portion DO not
plant those, although apparently sound if avoidabe,
portion OF the crop having been destroyed by the dry rot
Under circumstances plant the stem end OF the poatO
it contains nineteen tweneths OF the eggs and indus, be-
that portion and softer and OF perora
ton than the seed portion. crop destroyed
by the the same ground, or potato field, will pro-
duce sound crop the succeeding year, If perfectly
healthy tubers are planted, unless the indus is
present in the soil both of which unquestonaby Inn
bedded, to greater less extent in the humus OF the
earth; and, throughout extensive districts OF coun
try clearly demonstrated by its sudden and unexpected
invasion of the and tber at distant points, and
tenslve locations The In the second stage most
destroyed by excessive heat and drought warm soils