The Somerset herald and farmers' and mechanics' register. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 183?-1852, 1847-05-25
THE FARM ER,
From the Farmer and Mechanic.
REMARKS ON THE POTATO Dlo-
TrA%f7
BxIL r. HvDE, Esq, at the Farmers
~. !, he American Institute.

~
1s,,,h ~ ,he American Institute.
,rLo s,.h;sc, Of The maiady IN potatoes
has been so much discussed ''las u'o Ii.s.-
,ion ~ il has become rather repnislse'
and peri,aps an apology IS due ior again
a.I,;ng "nn 70 il: vet, il is fact that thou
lSnJs are perishing by famine, IN conse-
o1'a-co oa',.- of ihe failure of the crop OF this
galnable root, in foreign lands; and in our
owr country the loss in consequence OF
the maladv is to be reckoned by mlll'ons. o
,rbe difference in the cost OF potatoes
co,.u,ped in New York and BrooSlyn IN
80 rcar NAV be seen by the following
os.;,1s,c I Allowing the population OF the
.;,;es 10 be 400, 900, and supposlng
- c,milv 10 consist of ten persons, the
'.a-nber of families will be 10000. Each
family. probably, on an average. consumes
one bushel per week, or say fifty bushels
;no wear. By this estimate the yearly
ronsump,ion is 100000 bushels. The
increase in the price per bushel IN conse-
onence Of deficient crops is about oO
den,s ner busheI. making the whole year
" loss 81 100000. The loss to the
whole country is immense, and as the sea-
cor has arrived when the remedy Tor the
evil IS TO be applied if used at all, the I'M
nortance of the subject seems to Justify
;ntroducing il, although rather stale.
To consider the potato disease as one
OF those inexplicable visitations OF Provl-
dsnce. which no human skill can advert,
and therefore, to give up all further lnqui-
nv. seems to me a conclusion unworthy
the intelligence and enterprise OF the pre-
sent are. When careful and long con-
,inued experiments and observations shall
have been made, and scientific research
exhausted without any indication of sue
cess il may be given up in despair; but
neither have the efforts to ascertain the
cause Of the disease been SO long contin-
ned. nor the indications of success so un-
promising as TO Justify such conclusion.
Much has been said and written upon
the subject and many theories have been
advanced. most of them founded upon
careful observations and adhered to with
great pertinacity. One discovers aplides
among the vines Of the diseased plants
and after many examinations he finds tha
where these abound the lubors decay, ant
where there are none the tubers are sound
He therefoae concludes he has discovered
the true cause, and gives no credit to any
other theory. Another concludes, from
his observations, that the disease is caus
ed by fungi. Some attribute the diseas
10 different manures, others 10 soil or +
peculiarltes Of the season. All may b
right in one sense; any or all OF thes
causes may contribute in completing tn
destruction: but that no one of them /
the primary cause is very evident. Th
: very fact that there are so many and S
various causes, either of which appear
by careful observation TO have been ade
I quate is, Of itself, sufficient to prove ths
they are all secondary, and in reality or
" effects of some thing beyond whic
still must be sought as the true primar
cause through whatever instrumentality
NAV exert ;tself.
There are certain facts probably know
10 all which shall state here, not as an,
thing new, but as the foundation Of a
argument
lst. Potatoes have very generally cea
ed 10 produce seed, although blossom
nav be seen in abundance; you may,
some instances, examine large fields
the proper season without discovering
single ball.
2nd. The potato crop is much inferl'
in quality to what il was formerly.
have known a 1000 bushels produce
from a single acre. cultivated in vel
careless manner, and in some parts of Il
field have seen a bushel dug from foi
hills. 500 bushels per acre was former
considered only fair crop without mut
care in manuriug, planting, or cultivatin
What is considered fair average or,
now,
These facts seem clearly 10 indicate I
loss Of vitality in the plant. | inf
therefore,,hai the Potato malady is in &C
sequence of vitality, occasioned by lo
continued propagation from the root, vii
out renovation from the seed. This
ference appears to me reasonable, becau
established principles of natural histo
justify it.
1t appears necessary:
lst. Because the committee appoint
by the Ficeroy of Santa Fe de Bogo
nearly one hundred years ago, to inves
gate the same subject, after laborious
search reported that the disease was cal
ed by loss OF vitality, which must be.
newed by planting the seed from I
vines; aud further, after FIVE years tn
reported that amosg the planters who /
propagated new varieties from the 81
balls of healthy tubers, not rotten
tato could be found. This is matter
record found in the archives Of the
yernmcnt-T Sec Mr.. Williamson's St;
ment Agricul. F. II.
End. Because the well attesied "a,
stated by Mr.. Smith Of Buffalo, as the