The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1848-10-14
TIL & CALLED OMAN.
The Potato Rot--Its Cause and
Remedy.


Meeting ncighbor the other day who had
lust dug his potatoes, he informed us that he
had discovered, 10 his satisfaction, the cause
of the rot among potatoes, II was, he said,
a small worm. and one, Mt least could be
found in each decNyng potatoe. The worm,
he thought was poisonous; one having bit
ten his finger, the result of which was a Sc
we're sore. Since receiving the account from
our neighbor we have found some very con-
elusive evidence confrmatory of his theory.
1t is as follows:
From the Genessee Farmer.
In this communication shall, think give
20 The world the true cause the potato NAL
ady While science has been on tho utmost
stretch to find out the true cause like all 9TH
or eXcitemeuts, it has been too lofty in its re-
searches, perhaps to gain much credence and
TOO great name to the splendid essays of
those devoted TO the performance of the lnsk
expect that every one who reads this article,
lfori expect it TO be pubIshed) with their
battalion of Il thousand and one queries, pre-
sumng that they will contound my position.
But to the story. The true cause of the po-
tato malady is an insect. What the exact
form of the mother is am MS yet unable to
say. But one thing is certain, that she lays
her eggs in the latter part of5une and during
the month ofJuly, sometimes even as late as
in August, particularly in the late planted
fields; lust under the surface of the ground
near the stalk. After few days the egg
matches into worm ola peculiar form,nbout
3-l6th of an inch in length, ola yellowish
brown color, not unlike the worm found in
meal chests, with head something like il,
tapering from the head back. with spiral
white ring passing from the head to its ter
mnnlions like II screw. The worm when
fm grown is abont an inch in length and an
eight in diameter.
IFS form Of attack and Effects. Immediate
lyaiter halching it begins to enter the stalks,
beneath the surface of the soil, 10 the centre,
and works upwards; the stalk immediately
begins to show signs of disease by turning
black: the leaves appear as ifthoy had been
scorched. The tuOers attached 10 those
stalks are all affected.
The time ofattack is when the nhers are
setting, which is in the last ofJuly or the first
OF August in some sections, and during the
month of August in others. Hence tile rea-
son why late planted are more liable to dis
case than early; for ifplanted carly the tuber
sets, and arrives somewhat 10 maturity before
the season Of attack Very rich soils are
more liable than poorer, from the greater
luXuriance of the plant, the same as vines
from the yellow bug, &c. This ut once set
ties the question why newly produced are at
feccd as well as those of II greater age.
All the objections which were unanswered
hy the various theories heretofore given, are
settled by the discoveries of the past season
in this town. Could sit down with every
ohnctor, and while away an hour or two,
could tell him more to convince him than |
can on this sheet of paper. 1t was by acct
dent that n gentleman in this town found the
worm While in field ofpotatoes eXamin-
ing them, he found some ofthe stalks were
hollow aud soft, presenting a dark appear
Once, while others were quite hard, aud were
greenish. He began opening the soft one
and discovered the worm. lie then dug
down around such stalks and found the tn
bers attacked were diseased, while those on
the other stalks were hard and sound. lie
gave the information to many Oihis neigh
bOrS. who, upon examination, found theirs
the same. From thence the research became
general, and the results were uniformly a.
like in every respect
Recently while conversing with n farmer
from another part of our country upon The
subject, he says he found such worms, or tie
worm changing into iarve state, on the
surface under the tops, when he was digging
his potatoes; aud that his are and were much
affected this season. This is the first time
he has been troubled with the malady; and
he never planted so late as the past season.
The remedy is in early planting, the car
licr the better. My father and myself plan
ied The past season before the middle of A
priI, so that the ground was frozen to the
depth of two inches after plantug( they want
TO be covered deep and we have not raised
SO perfect and good potatoessthr quite num-
Der ofyears; no disease among them-mealy,
hard and fine
am confident the foregoing is the true
cause of the malady, the effect of which has
caused so much distress and death in many
parts of the world. To those who are vet
lncredulous as to the cause, ifthey will give
n few moments of candid reflection thew can
readily answer every objection, from this
single tact-an insect confines iseIf to no
particular location, or age, or plant, but de-
stroys wherever it willeth.
f.. s. BARTHOLOMEW.
Portland, Chautauque Co., N. y, 1913.