Los Angeles herald., 1906-09-16
POTATO BLIGHT
BAD IN IRELAND
FAILURE OF CROP IS Proving
DISASTROUS
sir Anthony Macdonald Thinks the
Emerald Isle Is Soon to See Fru-
ltlon of Many Hopes-self
Government in 1907
ny Timothy J. o,coNNoR


naturally deeply interested in the ac-
counts of the potato blight. Prob
ably the best reports are those made
by the correspondents of the Farmers
Gazette. And 1t is significant to note
that the latest accounts published by
that paper are decidedly disheartening'
In the poor, over-taxed land In the con-
gested districts especially the FAILURE
has been disastrous. There is new
theory of the disease, which indicates
that even spraying, though valuable
preventive, cannot be looked upon as
wholly effective remedy to the disease.
Hitherto it was believed the spores
were solely responsible; but Mr., Massee
of Kew. a very high authority on the
subject, has discovered that epidemics
of the disease are due to a "hybernat-
ing mycelium" in the tuber, which, in
certain damp, hot, muggy Weatner, IN
fects not merely the plant Itself, but
the whole crop. From this discovery,
it is plain that spraying, wien deals
only with the spores, or the danger OF
spores on the stalks, cannotaHect the
development of the seed OF ne disease
in the tuber. II
The selection of clean, heathy SEED is
a precautio as essen tial asthe spray
ing. But, even then, there no aSsur-
ance that the disease may lot, IN one
form or another, remain laent in tne
soil, especially in those exhausted
patches which year after year have
been given over to potato c1p. Pro0er
sized farms, properly culttvaed, are es-
sential before the plague ofblight can
be thoroughly exterminatedfrom stalk
and tuber.
The greatest interest is eing taken
here in an article which tcently ap-
peared in the Paris Tems in which
reference is made at leHth to the
speech made at a banqud in Dublin
recently by Sir A. MacDon1fll, in which
the permanent under-secreRry Tor lrsH
land expressed the firm beef that tM
next session of parliame1 would see
the fruition of many of those hopes
which the best Irishmen td for years
entertained. The Temps ays;
Dawn of Hop
"Sir Anthony MacDonePs sympa-
thies are as unimpeachale as is the
authority of his informatih. The great
and good news which las just an
nounced can be considefd as official,
and must be placed on|record, as it
marks an epoch in the tstory of Ire
land A great step fdward in the
direction of autonomyls being pre-
pared The utterance Hs certainly
Sibylline one but thoss Tho have close
|
studied the last speech rom the throne
will have no difficultYn gauging the
scope of the promise reform. What
Mr.. Bryce will proposdo the commons
will be administrativjhome rule, and
particularly the chtrol of Irish
finances. Even thisls a great step.
Whenever, accordinfto this scheme,
local government an the management
of the finances of thtisland are placed
in the hands of Iritmen, one VIII be
able to say that the;rying demand for
national parlian11t VIII nave Iost
much of its dramic necessity. Per-
haps the party ledpy Jonn REDMOND
will uncompromi9gly oppose Mr..
Rrvce's generous plposal because of it's
yerv generosity an the beneficial effect
which it is sure \ have in a country
where British administration has been
the cause of mosbf the evils by which
it Is afflicted y opposing this pro-
nosal the Irishparty would deprive
themselves of eVy foundation for their
fighting attitud at Westminster. If
the Irish natiorist deputies act in this
manner they vi deserve the stigma of
being only pofcians caring more for
their own parImentary positions than
for the interes of their country"
Self Giernment in 1907
In a recenhddress at MaIlaw, Mr..
William O'Ben. NJ. p, expressed a
hope that neiyear ireland would have
a Observation-Disclosures of self-govern-
ment. He tsted that all good Irish
men would textremely cautious about
condemningie promised bill until they
knew all aut it, and had carefully
considered To tell the Irish people
that the b would give them al; at
once, and, a minimum nothing less
than all til the Beers had got in the
way of cbplete responsible govern
ment -perniciouS nom
sense.
Even tn English papers, comment
ing uponie matter editorially, admit
that Cancellations of the two islands
Great Hain and Irelan have en-
tered up{a new era"
shortens Time
Probat' one thing which is binding
Ireland more and more closely to
Great Ttain Is the fact that means of
travel nd ntercommunication are
constaT Increasing. For instance the
Great lestern Railway company has
lust ilgurated new route to Ire
land Y Fishguard. Considerable in
tereStttaches to this enterprise. by
meanf which the time occupied hith-
erto the journey between England
and I sister isle by the Great West
eTH ASS VIII bC ACooCHcu ny lcdIly
threAnd half hours. Curiously
enou the scheme now about to be
broJtt to completion realizes a prof.
ect erished actually half century
ago
ven, at that period, Brunei was pre-
parg his plans for the South Wales
sedn of the Great Western railway,
of hich he had become the engineer in
18She decided that the most expedi-
enpoint for the lines western ter
mB would be found at Fishguard bay,
wfh forms the southern extremity Of
Oiigan bay, There was a good deal
tbe said in favor of the proposal. A
dance of six miles divides Pen An
IS and Dinas Head the two fine
hdlands which guard the entrance to
Bhguard bay, and a harbor con-
fucted within these limits, 1t was
binted out, would afford accommoda-
ons in deep water for the largest of
be worlds navieS. Another ADVANTAGE
Vas claimed In the accessibility of Ire
and from this point, the distance be-
Ing only 81 nautical miles. However.
the engineering difficulties that stood
Fin the way were considered for a time
TO be insuperable. Accordingly, Bru-
uels plans were modelled, and the
Great Western main, line was con
tinued TO Milford Haven, from which
harbor the Irish steamers have hitherto
sailed to Waterford SO knots distant
LN.s. m