Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1858-09-10
snnpp,ea Cause or thc Potato Rot.

ANl hhuAlN NNN lNlNI NNWlNNANaat hh-
nouucss that Mr.. Alexander Henderson Of
that city has made a discovery Of the cause
Of the potato rot, which. Il it should prove
correct, will be Of vas, importance, as the
means Of future prevention can also be
found. lie thinks it i produced by an in
sect, the cc. ot which j. laid in the skin OF
the rotate. i. invisible to the naked eye. but
nav BE- detected with a microscope, and i
planted with the seed potato. This ccs is
haichci in about six days, and the young
inset stays in the ground until be gr,s
wings. In the meantime be is engaged in
stinsins the ,ubcrs, each perioration poison
Ing the root, and be.ctting the rot While
yet in the ground. and as carly as the tenth
lay of exis,gace. the young insects cohabii,
and from the rapiii,y with which ilcy pro-
Tagaic, Mr.. Henderson argues that the ees
is deposited before the Grst cmergcn,c from
the ground, although in case of cold, We,
weather. the INSECT sometimes leaves the
vines and returns to the tubrr. Onlya few
dny. 4. required Tor the entire destruction
OF the vine. Tho insect is remarkably in.
dus,rious, but the destruction Of the vine
does not adcc, the ;uber eIccp, to stop its
growth.
The Commercial gives further particulars,
as follows Mr. Henderson states that he
ha. been engaged in this research SINCE lSij,
that in 1850, he discovered the bug on the
vines, but thought il wa, confined to them.
puriu. the last year he has found /, on tie
,ubyr., and watched il. effect, upon them.
Il arp.ar- on the vines in from two and a
half 10 thrcc months after planting, accord.
inc &, soil and manure. richly manurcd
soil produces the perfect insect sooner. On
the mornin: ot "a, 2ith OF June. Mr. Hen.
dor>on lcli at our Office a glass jar, contain
ing sound and healthy potato plant, COW
crel by a perforated paper - as TO afJrl
air. llc bal placed It there al seven O'Clock
A VI . and with It were confined some six
or eight insects, which Nc Henderson b.
lievcs % be the source of the potato rot
The insect itself W. cannot describe scicutll.
i,llly. Il; about hall the siI, Of the com.
mon house ay, ct a brovui-h color ha. SIX
less, two pairs OF dnphan'u. wings. two
antennp, and a long. strong probosci'. Mr.
Henderson thinks It phyt'cori. but i not
positive as 20 that. 40 ,lc end OF twenty
tour holr, the plant va, evidently diseased.
The iu..gt was actively cnrtsI upon IT,
various portions, which h'.,u' brown and
mouliy in the Leaf, while the stalks, in the
course ol two or three days, ,uiI,rrl pa.
tr,sccnt change. until some Of them fell over
by their own weight. the stalk heins swollen
aud slasncl, IN -lias place. quite TO jelly,
ol ,igSiy er,'n cul1r. Thi' process, Mr.
Henderson inform, us, takes place uniform
~, ba, mos, rapidly whcu Sbe plant Is ircc-
ly watcrci and exposed o sun and air, as
the specimen described was not To all cx.
teruaI appearance the disease was Identical
with tho ordinary potato rot, as i, attacks
,he vines some piece. Of early tins year,
potatoes, placed ia the jar, were also plain.
ly attacked by the TOT during thc four days
Of exposure Mr.. Henderson find, a ready
explanation ror the greater healthfulncss of
tbc potato in sandy s,ll. he find. that the
grain. of sand greatly annoy aud cripple the
insect, and as the l.sh, .lil j. heayel up by
the growth OF thg root. the sand impacts or
hlls down, preventing the access Of the ly.
Iu q suG s5il thc in,ec, readily leaves the
ground through ID, cracks opened by the
growth or ibe tubsr, and having s,une IL.
comes O. the surface and attacks the vine,
especially after heavy showers. During the
past winter Mr.. Henderson has l,l thou
sand. of tbc young insects hatchcl under
glass, and 90 ~ their power Of mischief,
ba. experimental with bus, ouly quarter
grown. The plants exposed showed unmis-
ukahl, signs of disease on the fourth day.
n W. put stop % the planting OF the ees
with ;Ae s,cd potato, We stop the propaga-
tiUn Of the insect The c.c being invisible,
any means applied should be thorough, and
reach the whole surface ot the root. Mr..
Henderson state, that by .prinklius quick
lime over tie potato, as i, is cut Tor plant
iu.. tie moisture will dissolve the line and
battle the ,utcr- in a causiic alkali, which
will destroy the ,gs. ~ this time Of the
year tLo rayasJs of the insect may be pre-.
vented by packing the earth around the tu-
Der irmly with the foot, which will suOth-
or the Insect.