Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-09-03

In the carly part of the season there was n
prospect Of large yield Of potatoes of excel
lent quality, but some malign influence seems
concentrating all its spite against the crop.
When the vines escape blast and bugs, scab
and rot attack the tubers. The promise of
an abundant crop of good potatoes is likely
again to end in disappointment. More than
half of those grown in this vicinity are so af-
fccted rs to be unfit for the table In some
fields not fourth part are entirely smooth
and sound. Having been saved from the
bugs 10y constant vigilance and the repeated
use of dangerous and terrible virulent poi
son, they are now attacked by at least two
distinct diseases-the old fashioned potato
rot and the newer fashioned vegetable small
poX that leaves the roots deeply pitted with
discUlorcd scars. In the first years of this
latter disease it only affected the surface of
potato, but it now eats into its substance the
sometimes to the centre When these dis
cHsed potatoes nro cooked with sound ones
for feeding purposes, they give the whole 4
rank dsagreeable odor and a taste that ami
mails do not relish. If any are boiled for the
table without pairing away the scabby part
they will mpart flavor to all that are cook
ed with them. It may be a question whether
the use of those which are apparently sound
but still contain the germs of disease that in
few weeks would reduce them to putres-
cence, is entirely wholesome. When the po-
tato rot first appeared in this country many
persons feared to use them, but we have never
heard of any case of disease that was trace
able to their use. Yet it is not pleasant
thing to contemplate, that in eating an ap-
parently sound potato, we may be swallowing
the spores which propagate the disease.
These considerations however, do not seem
to have much effect or are not taken into &C
count, as there is an increased demand for
potatoes since the plant has been beset by so
many enemies, poisoned with Paris green,
and afflicted with rot and scab. People ap-
precate what is obtained with difficulty. If
it cost dollar or more per bushel to raise
them, it would diminish their use but little
We are not sure that many would not consid-
er them more of necessity than if they cost
only ten cents.
No effectual remedy has ever been discov-
cred for either rot or scabbiness Liberal re-
wards have been offered for preventive of
the former, as a remedy for it, but none have
been paid no one being entitled to the re-
ward A correspondent of the Tribune late
ly asked for a remedy for scabby potatoes,
and his inquiry was submitted to Prof W. j.
Bea of the Michigan Agricultural College,
and his reply was only this "Scabby pota-
toes are common when grown second time
in succession on the land. Potatoes need
plenty of vegetable matter and grow nice on
sod recently turned under Other remedies
the writer cannot giye-he could give
theories"
The nature of the potato rot is now, how
ever, well understood, though no complete
remedy for it has been discovered. 1t is q
parasitic fungoid growth belonging to the
same order of microscopic plants which form
mould, mildew, smut, etc, "a new species,
PerOHOspora inttStanS. A full description of
this fungus with illustrations may be found in
the Report of the Department of Agriculture
for 1873, page 1856. Also very interesting
and valuable paper on the same subject, by
c. G.. Pringle of Charlotte, and another by
DR.. Hiram A. Cutting, State Geologist, in the
Report for 1878.