SNIPPET: Like the potato, the fungus that destroyed it came from the Americas. In 1843 the potato crops in the eastern United States were largely ruined by a mysterious blight. In June of 1845 the blight was reported in the Low Countries. In Mid-September an English journal announced "with very great regret" that the blight had "unequivocally declared itself" in Ireland, then posed the question that anyone even passingly acquainted with the country knew must be faced: "Where will Ireland be, in the event of a universal potato rot?" The speed of the blight bewildered observers. Over and over they expressed amazement at how fields lush with potato plants could the next day be putrid wastelands. It was a generation before the agent of destruction was fingered as a spore-spreading fungus, Phytophthora infestans, and a generation after that before an antidote was devised. In 1845 there was a 4-stage sketch showing the progress of the fungus as it turns a healthy potato into putrid rot. Even so, the enormity of the disaster was still hard to grasp when an 1845 broadside from Derryluskan, Co. Tipperary, dated the 1st December, 1845, printed in Clonmel, offered hopeless advice: "SUGGESTIONS to COTTAGERS in COOKING their POTATOES" Commence with your Diseased Potatoes, by washing them well, then peel or scrape off the skins, carefully cutting out such parts as are discoloured; cut the large Potatoes to the size of the smaller ones, and steep them for a short time in water in salt and water. Provide a few cabbage leaves (the white kind is the most suitable;) steep them in cold water, then line the bottom and sides of a common metal or oven pot, with the wet leaves; pack in it, the peeled Potatoes in layers, shaking salt and pepper over each layer until the vessel is nearly full; spread more wet cabbage leaves over them, cover all close down with a lid, and set them on a hot-hearth, or a moderate fire, as too hot a fire might be attended with risk. The object of the above-mentioned method is, that the Potatoes should be cooked through the medium of their own moisture, instead of the usual mode of steaming or boiling them in water. The following additions may be made by those who can afford to improve upon the above, by introducing sliced Onions, salt Herring, salt Butter, salt Pork, Lard, or Bacon cut in slices, or small piece, or Rice, previously boiled. It would be found more economical, instead of peeling, to scrape off the skins of such Potatoes as are only slightly discoloured, or altogether free from taint. Those who have a Cow or Pigs to feed should collect the peelings and rejected portions of the Potatoes, steep them for some time in salt and water, then pack them in a metal pot, in layers, with cabbage leave, sprinkling salt over each layer, and cook them as above directed; if found necessary, a little Bran or Oatmeal may be added." WOODS, Printer, Clonmel.