New-York daily tribune., 1858-07-10
TIE POTATO ROT.
ITS CAUSE AND CURE-MR. HENDERSONS
DISCOVERIES.
From The Buffalo COnmoeiai, June %.

From The Buffalo Commercial June 81
Ever srce the dire known as potato rot tfst ap-
nesred various hypotheses have offered as 10 ts
cause and cure. malady attacking an escarnt go
important and forming so large portion o our dahy
food was at once recognized as national dlss-ter,
and researches Of scientific men were directed 10 its
study In 10 the present time satisfactory theory
has been promulgated. In giving publicity 10 that
which We are about to notice, we shall cohnne
ourselves mostly to what has been done oy ac,ua OK
pertinent and 70 the legitimate conclusions which To-
ductiye reasoning from those experiments affords.
Our rereons knowledge Is confined to the following
facts:
On the morning Of the Oath of June, MI. Alexander
Henderson of this city, left at our cfics glss, jar
conts1i ing sound AID healthy potato plant covered
In by perforated paper so as to AFFORD ar ne nsa
placed il there at H. M, and with IL were conuheo
some six OF eight insects which Mr. II. believes TO bs
IL source OF the potato rot The insect tseH Te can
lot desclb be scientifically 1t Is about half the size OF
the common house-ly, Of a brownish color, has ELK
egs tw pairs Of light dlsphanous wings, two sntsnt&
snd long strong proboscis. Mr.. IL. thinks IL is tue
Phytocoris but is positive as TO that the end
of enty -four hours the plant was evidently dseased
The inject actively engaged upon ITS various poi
tions which became bTos sn ana moioy in the Iesi
ySh,ls the stalks in the course of two three days
suf- red putrescent change, until on the So,n sone
Of them fell over by heIr weight, the stalk beiog
swollen and softensd, 10 some places quite " Jeuy Oh
sickly green color. This process M, dehderson It.
forms US takes ACE uniformly, but most rapidly when
the plant is freely wsored ana expo-ed 70 suo ana ar
az the specimen exposed was not 10 81 shernsl oi
pearance the disease was ldeItcal Win tnc OiUiAoi =
DO, ato lot It attacks the vines. Some pieces CT
eaiy ths year potatoes, placed l tne AZ we're also
plainly attacked By the rot during the four days oi
exposure
Mr Henderson states that he has been eng sged 10
this research suce 1876 that in $50 ne discovered
tie bug on the vines but though: il was conhno1 to
them During tia last year he has sound on the tu-
bers snd watched its effects upon them 1t ape ans
On the yires in from two and half TO three months
After planting according TO soil and msnIfe, q
richly mapurtd soil producing the perfect Msec'
soCper. -, 4,
The patura, history Of the Insect begins With the
development of the egg Tnis . inylslbe TO the ma
ked eve but can be seen with the aid OF elens, ag
cluiipsed ~ the skn of tie pc-ato lti az In ooong
form ard is planted with the seed potato. Ihe egg
NAV be hsiched in Q warm, Deist place. Inc entire
period of development Is OF settled. MI d. exposed
plant 10 the insect, under proper p scsauons &c
from the time of the exposure 70 tne Ine tne youas
insect Of the next generation ohtainea ms wings va
three months. The procees Of reproAaeaoa nas esei
in resaionsIy watched by Mr.. HeDterson. lac egl
planted With the sesd potato s hateaed and the saas
rsret ttsys in the ground until be geu wings. q so'
mt anime be is cIgagsd In singing the tuoe = esc'
ysyursiiop poisapipg the root and begeung sse iot
n bile vet the gIonrd and a. saIly Is the aestn ga
Of existeIce, the Young insects Cohsot, ana Hym In
preat rspidiiy with which they propagate, Mf II. ar
eues tie egg deposited before tbs urst emers
euce FROM the ground, although in case OF ccId, We
vestheY tie insect sometirass leaves the WOES an
return. 10 tho iuber Ooly few days are requires
for the entire destruction Of the vine. Inc insset
| rersa, kably Industrious, but the destruction ~ N
yses does not sq-ct the tuksT sxcePt 70 SOP 4!
growth.