Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-04-20
METHOD PROPOSED BY DIR. KLOTSCH,
EOR rLIE DID OIEC,TLQN OLE TIE Pc

FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE Pc
TATO PLANT AGAINST DISEASE.
The potato which is an annual plant, repre-
scnts, in the tubers developed from the stem, the
perennial part of plant; for while the duration
of its development is analogous to that of ANIMALS
its sections coincide exactly with those of d.
cotyledonous shrubs and trees.
The potato plant differs from all those plants
which arc cultivated for economical purposes in
Europe, and can only be compared to those or
chideous plants which yield saIep, and which are
not cultivated among u.s.
The tubers, both of the potato and of the salep
plants, are nutricous and agree in this that in
the cells of the tube as, grains of starch, with
more or less azotized mucage, are collected,
while the cell walls possess the remarkable prop
erty of swelling up into jelly, and thus becom
ing easily digestibe when boiled with water.
But while the tuber of saIep contains only one
bud or germ, the potato usually develops several,
often many germs.
The potato plant, like all ANIMALS, exerts its
chief efforts in developing flowers and fruit
Like all ANIMALS too it has the power Of short
ening this period ofdcvelopment, when the pow
or of the roots is limited as also strengthening
it, when the extent and power of the roots arc
increased
We observe in nature, that plants with fecbly
developed roots often have weak, sickly as
pcct but yet come to mutuSity in flower and
fruit sooner than stronger individuals, we'll furn-
ished with roots
In perennial plants we observe second effort
which is directed towards preparing and storing
the nutritious matter, for the consumption of the
plant The preparation of this nutrment is ef
fectel by the physiological action of the leaves,
under the influence of the roots The stronger
and larger the former are, the more is this prep
aration of food delayed
The nutritious matters are stored III the col
ored stratum of the bark i'll shrubs and trees, and
in the tubers in the potato and salep plants Not
only, however, the nutrient matters, but also the
cells owe their Origin to the physiological action
of the leaves.
On considering these things, it follows that
the potato plant required more care than is usu-
av devoted to it Hitherto the whole cultlva
ton consisted in clearing off weeds, and hoeing
up the earth round the stems Both OF these
measures are indeed necessary, but they are not
alone sufhcient-for the plant is cultivated not
on account of its fruit but for the sake of It's u
bers, and the treatment should be modified &C.
cordingly.
The chief points to be attended to, with
view to the attainment of the object; namely, the
increase Of tubers, arc
J. To increase the power in the roots, and
@ 70 check the transformation which oc-
ours in the leaf
We obtain both ends simultaneously, if, in the
5th, 9th, and 9TH week after setting the tubers,
and in the 4th and 5th week after planting out
G,rpicbnJ with Of hon,
the plants reach the height of six to nine inches
above the soil, we pinch off the extreme points
of the branches or twigs to the extent OF half an
inch downwards,# and repeat this on every
branch or twig in the 10th and llth week, no
matter at what time of day.
The consequence of this check to the develop
ment ofthe stem and branches, is a stimulus to
the nutrient matters in the plant in the direction
of the increase, both of roots and Of the multi
plication ofthe branches ofthe stem above ground
which not only favors the power of the root, but
also strengthens the leaves and stalks to such a
degree, that the matters prepared by the phys-
ologicaI action of this part are increased and
applied to the formation of tubers; while at the
some time, the direct action of the SUMS rays on
the soil is prevented by the thick foliage, and
thus the drying up of the soil and its injurious
consequences are avoided
The checking ofthe transformation in the leaf
is equivalent to the interruption of the natural
change of the leaves into calyees, coraa, sta
mems and pistils, which is effected at the ex-
pense of the nutrient matters collected in the
plant; and these, when this modification of the
leaves is arrested, are turned to account in the
formation of tubers
Led by these views, l made, in 1916, expert
ments on single potato plants, carefully marked,
by pinching off the ends of the branches. They
were so readily distinguished, in their subsequent
growth, from the plants beside them, by more
numerous branches larger and darker foliage,
that, in truth, no marking was necessary.
The produce from these plants of tubers was
abundant, and the tubers were perfectly healthy
while the plants next them, which had not been
SO treated, gave uniformly less produce, at the
same time the tubers were rough on the surface,