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

acts and the public documents upon columRs has
hitherto prevented us from laying the following communi
cation before our readers teates to phenomena IN the
vegetable kingdom which, by cutting of the supply of the
people of Ireland has contributed not only TO affect then
Subsistence in great degree but the price of breadsut>
IN our own markets With the author of the article have
no personal acquaintance but he recommended to
us as nice observer in natural history and faithful re-
porter OF its phenomena The public will best Judge OF the
correctness OF his statements, and appreciate the mpor
lance OF his conclusions.
CLAvERAcK, February %, 1sl7
To the editor of the Unaoa
Would a communication, intended TO alleviate IN III
ture the deplorable condition of portion OF the human
family who are at present suffering the numerous evils
and mseres connected with, and lnseparabie from,
desution OF food, compor with your arrangements 10
give an insertion in your widely circulated journal, de-
scribing the principal causes, and general remedy
against future OF the potato rot comprising
the species known the common or lsh po'alo lsod
mum .beros,nn) and the worm, through The agency OF
which that useful and almost indispensable esculent mas
recently been destroyed, to great extent In the United
States and to alarming degree throughout the
several kingdoms and states the continent OF Europe
including the British isles-insomuch that scarcity
of food is at present experienced unprecedented Tor
long period among the aborng classes throughout extern
sve districts in some instances embracing the greater
norton of territory comprised within the limits Of
TIE country Your paper being received and read IN the
several capitals and commercial emporluns across the
Atlantic is my apology fer asking the favor OF It's publ
cation, from whence the necessary information would be
convened through the usual channels OF communication
in various ways to the potao-growlng districts, and
which might also answer, IN great measure, as sub
sttute first contemplated to have been taken by me, to
address circular to the distinguished personages at the
heads of their respective governments on the subject II
is needless to enter into detail OF the peculiar appear
ance and condition of the diseased plant the affection OF
the haulm or STEM as premonltory OF the rapid decom
position plague-spot and dryrot of the tuber All the
circumstances connected with and attending that portion
of the pest have been ably and correctly performed, in
many instances by practical scientific agrcutursts, who
have devoted portion Of their time and attention. by a
close and patient investigation and thorough examination
in the infected field, by distinguished chemists who have
gone through the different processes OF analysis with
view discover the offending cause and by learned pro-
essors in the various departments of science on both
continents who have devoted their time and eminent tai
epis in order discover the origin and the mysterious
causes which produced it; all OF whom unequivocally
coincide in sentiment that the malady Ia caput mouu
is IDENTICAL originating from like causes; that it is SINH
lar in every respect, through its several stages and
notifications its widespread extent gen.
eral and universal murrain. sincere and solemn
conviction in my own mind OF Its ubiquitous den-
y imposes bounden duty upon me to give the facts
which have been elected by patient and frequent observa
tons and inspection OF the top the root and tuber during
The different stages OF their growth to the period OF hit
ing harvesting the crop In 1872 the dry rot made It's
appearance in this section of country Those that grew
on nv farm in close gravelly mucky soil, retenve
of moisture were about half lost; when stored for win
ter use appeared perfectly sound but rather moste and
field which was composed of dry, sandy and gravelly
soil gave them separate place in my cellar. About
the first OF January ensuing half were lost by the dry rot
The starchy cells empted of their contents, with
the exception of trhing amount OF dark colored con-
sstence adherng to their hbrous textures. The tuber
had lost twoifths its weight when stored, becoming
the field proved sound and healthy were planted
in lsi3 in an open airy field composed OF dry soil
nearly wo-thrds lost before harvesting them, by
the disease. Those apparently sound were stored
1,f1 uuua mi nj do
sruction In 1884, several hundred bushels obtain
ed from distance, OF superior variety, which had re-
Gently been grown from the ball or seed white crisp
bright-c oored tuber While dividing eight bushels Of
these into parts for planting which was entirely per-
formed by myself discovered about one out OF fifty
hibt one, sometimes two, and even three family blue
colored spots in the aggregate about the sixth of inch
in diameter contiguous to the hum stem end of the
tuber, near the bulge At first paid little atten
ton and still less concern at this unusual appearance
After about half divided on close inspection,
discovered located in ubers thus affected from the
fifth to the one tenth of inch from the surface clus
tiers Of small semi transparent eggs forming complete
congeries; "a sample OF which herewith transmit for
your inspection, and also for other distinguished gentle
men, fear, however, the severe cold may freeze and
destroy the egg before it reaches YOU which enlarges
threetmes its present size at the usual period OF plant
ing As the cry sometimes deposited near the
seed portion of the tuber the greatest caution is necessa
ry, patience, good eye sight, and the light OF bright
SIM discover it. In dark -colored potato the egg can
not De discovered from its surface, in consequence OF
similarity or coincidence of appearance and color. In
1s45, had tedious experiment of the kind on a dark
coored variety of excellent quality, called the Tyler po
tato in honor of the President. Although highly i'm
pregnated with the egg, that distinguished naturalist the
great and immortal LInnaus, with all his patience and
extraordinary powers of detection would, IN his best
days, have given up the task as a total failure.
1t clearly evident that it is deposited before the full
growth of the ube not only IRON the depth OF ITS loca
ton, but also from the fact that no traces OF perforaon
aceraon of the parts are visible upon the skin or the
intervening portion from that to the congeries Here a
little depression unavoidable. separated the affected
from the remaining portion of four bushels The day
Doubtless many escaped my crcumspectIon, IN conse.
quence OF its being sometimes deposited near the seed
portion of the tuber and deep nearly to elue de-
lection, under the most favorable circumstances for OBJ
servation and inspection In this condition they were
planted in dry gravelly soil, resting upon substraum
of saty composition, tie field having been previously
dressed with stable manure. The proved favora
ble and also the two preceding for steady and gradual
development of the stem. On the Goth of August ex-
amned few hills found them well loaded the tubers
to all appearance sound and healthy On the I'd Sept took
up few hills for culinary purposes, found from to
of the first setting growth the largest IN the hill, IN
taking up few bushels for my hogs many of the tubers
affected with the plague spot placed one OF these,
weighing about ounces, IN position receiving the
direct rays Of the The heat was excessive Fab
renheit thermometer standing 80 deg in the shade All
S D. M observed dark colored adhesive substance
ing from dozen apertures On removing this purid ex-
halation, small round perforatlons were visible. This
circumstance excited my suspicion that the worm was
the of the affection in this form OF the disease The
idea once occurred to me, might be night depreda
Tor On the evening of the day proceeded with
lantern to the portion Of the field, low spot,
the soil resting clay formations shaded by forest trees
two three hours in the afternoon the growth SIX or
eight days later than those that dug in the morning
On closely examining the tops extremely thin white
worm, the fifth OF an inch in length, lay stretched out
both on the stem and leaf; On the near approach of