Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1852-04-01
Potatar Rnf.
IN CONNECTION WITH tue LAWS OF vEGETA-
BLE GROWTH AND DECAY.

Many theories, and not a few of them quite
plausible and consistent, have been started within
the few years past in regard TO the Potato Rot
-tae cause Of the disease its remedy, &c But
despite these theories, and The thousandand-on
remedies that have been resored to- and the infal-
lille specifies that have been administered. the rot
has abated not the least in its rayages, and has
Outlived all carefully and perseyeringly applied
tests 10 which it has been subjected and even in
creased in maIignity. And yet new theories con-
'inue 10 be Prcsenred-neR experiments 10 be
devised-nevy specifics TO be recommended What
the end viii be We can by no means determine
we will not venture even Yankee guess =
The true remedy viii, peradven'uIe, yet be hit
on, and the potato saved from being clean gone
forever This is d matter in which ALL save a
very few, are greatly interested and he shall be
written down among the greatest OF public bene-
factors, VINO shall develop the remedy.
To onr mindno sounder theory. or more accor-
dant with the law Of nature, has been started, than
tIat of Prof Hoyt in a conmun.ca ion TO the \.
Z. Farmer, tor January. We regard it as emf
nen-ly sound and scnsibc-and We say so. not 10
praise the author. bpt because we think so. and
because we are Of the opinion that II VIII be found
of practical advantage.
lie starts with the assertion. that. The rot is
not the result Of occasional causes but is disease
partly epidemic and partly hereditary Il
may be lkened unto droysy-that its modus op-
eraHi is simply this: First, the leaves are from
some cause bHgh;ed. Secondly, the sap, excess
i've from want of Transportation through the Leaf
and uncarbouated from want of contact with the
air, becomes diseased and finally settles down by
lis own weight into the tubcr. Under this press
ure Of circu:ns stances, the tuber surchaTged and
bloated with the corrupt and .etd juices Of the
decaying plant, rots as in duty bound" The
leaves are the lungs of the p,ant-the organs OF
respiration and preparation; IN them the sap or
blood undergoes chemical changes requisite to
healthy growth and maturity, and through them
g the Watery parts of the sap are thrown off Just
as the waery parts OF the blood are thrown of by
the lungs. If these functions are disturbed so that
the regular and natural processes pertaining there
TO do not go forward, disease and death IS the in
evitabIe consequence. The sap would be left 10
stagnate in the stalks, and this diseased blood find
Ing ITS way 10 the tubers would infect and destroy
them also.
We have by no means done justice TO this por
ton ofthe article, and have only aimed TO inpa7t
TO our readers the general idea we pass 70 the
query: What Is the cause Of the blight in the
leaves and stalks of the potato q The writer
answers this generally by saying that it results
from one or two causes-either from the ravages
Of minute insect or from some peculiar Amos
Pheric influence. By the result Of observation
and the occurrence Of certain phenomena, ne is
determined to the latter, and holds that the atmos-
phere contains the noxious cause OF the disease.
There can be little doubt Of TINS. if we observe,
examine and keep watch, Many have come 20
the same conclusion who have given attention 10
the matter What tlis uoEiouE cause may be, Is