The Placer herald., 1858-06-26
A Preventive to Potato Rot.

Since the dreadful blight to the potato
crop of Ireland some years, ago when the en-
tailed consequence of famine almost decima-
ted the population of that unhappy land, ag-
riculturist, agricultural chemists, and scienti-
tic gentlemen of all countries, have expert
mented upon this favorite and important es-
culent, with a view of ascertsning tie causes.
and preventing the ravages. Of the potato
rot. Numerous of its causes have been ad-
vanccd, and any number Of remedies proposed
but it would appear that, beyond the improve
ments in the selection of the seed, the vine,
and gathering and preserving the potato
with increased care and skill, but slight ben
eft toward the great end sough: has been de-
rived from these sources. What the most
distinguished aGriculturists and Saydns of the
world have failed to accomplish by the most
intense thought and experiment, has, it ap-
pears, been effected, like the development of
numerous facts in mechanics and science. by
accident; or rather, such an effect was pro-
duced from this cause as set science to work
In the solution Of the problem, and to give it
practical tendency.
A few years ago, the English papers pub
ished statement that some boys in Belgium,
for amusements, inserted peas in seed pota-
toes which they were planting and tfat in
due time both peas and potatoes grew tooeth-
er, producing an unusual yield of peas. These
were gathered, and the potatoes were allowed
TO ripen, and upon digging proved to be en-
tirelv sound, while the same sort, in other
parts of the field, were badly rotten This
fact coming to the knowledge of Mr.. J..
Jackson, Of Leeds England prompted him
TO submit a series of samples of diseased and
sound potatoes to careful chemical analysis,
and he invariably found that the diseased
potatoes, as compared with the healthy ones,
exhibited marked deficiency of nitrogen
and of nirogenized matter in every instance,
and also Great deficiency, as compared to
the published analysis Of the potato, by Lie
big and others, made some years before
From that result" says Mr. Jackson, IN his
published report, Il inferred that the potato
being inherently deficient in nitrogen, if it
were inoculated with substance in;rinsicaIv
rich in that element, as peas are, during the
mutual decomposition and chemical changes
of the substances of both plants, in the pro-
cess of their termination and growth, a suffi
cient evolution Of nitrogen from the pea
would take place and be absorbed by com
bin;ng with and supplying the deficiency Of
that element in the potato, and thus commu
nicate, as it were, its equivalent in that way,
and countcract its tendency to disease"
Mr. Jackson then tried the experiment
practically, 10y procuring several kinds of po-
tatoes for sets whole, and inserting four or
fire peas (according to the size Of the potato)
deep into the heshy part Of the set, taking
care to avoid the eye, and Planting them in
the usual way. The re uIt WAS perfect sue
cess, with an extraordinary yield of both peas
and potatoes, the latter being, almost invar,
iably, large and healthy, and free from every
trace Of disease. These potatoes were laid
on a wooden floor in house, where they
remained all winter, and in the following
spring they were found to he all sound
and healthy, and were employed as sets
again in the same way, with the same result
.Scicntifc -1mUjcon.