The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-01-25


Much inquiry has been made, many specu-
lations INDUCED in and theories started in re-
lation to the potato disease, but none OF
them has yet thrown much light on the sub
iect and We are as much in the dark as ever
TO find out the cause OF this disease and
prescribe remedy would immortalize the
name of any man. A writer in the New
York Observer has presented some novel
views upon the question. He goes quite be-
yond any other writer and discusses first
principles and the laws OF Nature, all which
he thinks has a bearing on the subject The
laws by which animal and vegetable life "a
perpetuated may be violated for time by man
but ultimate destruction is sure 10 follow. II
Is true that man has sought out many lnyen
lions, some Of which according to this
writer DO moIe damage than good in tho
world. Hear him; "Look at the potato as It
comes from the hands of Its Maker, rank
weed bearing few tubers no value to man
but plenty OF blossoms, plenty of seed, sowing
itself and perpetuating its kind dd iafnitum
and in infinite variety. Man steps In now
and makes his the original law; he ignores
the seed, the life, but selects tuber aud
plants it instead, tenderly cares for 1t, stim.
ulates an abnormal growth, increasing Its
size and improving its edible qualities, and
calls it one of the best gifts of Providence
The potato lives an iadicidnnl life; not fron
generation to generation, like wheat repro
ducins Itself according to its primal law) and
as an individual must succumb ike man to
the inevitable feebleness OF old age. II can
hardly raise its own head"
We confess he reasons we'll from his stand
point, and it follows of course that death Ia
coming over the whsle species In few wears
and 1t will be utterly extinct in spite of the
so-callel remedies suggested as he terms Ii by
fumbling among recent causes instead of dig
ging down to the great underlying laws of
God in nature. ar.af Gar.1
In this writer's opinion there are two rem
edi's. One is to so back to the original stock
untouched by the hand Of man, and repeat
the first process. That would rejuvenate the
potato and give it chance to begin another
life In its new form and qualities. If this is
not possible tieE be b. saws plant from the seed
ignoring the .tubers and in two years. iaers
you are too removes from a rotten potato.
and so continue. In this process there win be
areeedins from the artificial and an approach
to the natural life OF the plant. In the course
OF ten removes or twentJ years, he thinks, We
may be near enough to the original to begin
to make selections and bring them up again
into an eatable condition, that is, raising them
from the tubers. He earnestly asks, "Now
where will you find the young man patriotic
and persistent enough to do this thing?'
That question We cannot answer. But he
thinks if one is not found, we shall be Obliged
to lind something else, before many years, 10
put into the potato pot.
That is gloomy prospect, for we don't
want TO do'without potatoes fit can be avoid
ed. He sums up by saying: "Apples, peaches,
pears and all vegetable lire grated or 6udded,
or in any way propagated in an unnatural
method by violating this same law of epery-
thing from the seed, win, before many gener-
ations pass away, follow the potato to the
grave"
We hardly think it viii turn out quite SO
bad as that, and trust there is a silver lining
to this dark cloud. Notwithstanding this
gloomy prophesy we mean to indulge In the
hope OF having good crop of these tubers the
coming season. AGRrcoLA
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