Smyrna times., 1893-04-05
The Corrosive Sublimate Treatment
Of Potatoes-to Prevent Occur
ence of Potato Seab.
BY H. L. BOLLY.

In work done at the Indian Expert
ment Station during the seasons of
1889 and 1890, it was demonstrated
that the blackened, roughened, pock-
marked like condition of potatoes,
commonly spoken of as potato scab, is
due to the direct action of II parasitic
cause, which not only originates the
disease on the tubers, but also attacks
the roots and bases of the vines. 1t
was also shown that the disease was
propagated in the new crop from that
on the seed tubers, and that, under
certain methods of treatment, healthy
tubers could be raised from diseased
seed.
In writing this article, it is nv wish
to impress the idea that it is not only
possible to entirely avoid disease in
the new crop, but that the treatment
is easy of application and the yield in
creased, and that under the present
conditions, without treatment, crop
exempt from disease is never a GER
tainty hence the statement that the
planting of what appears to be healthy
(smoothl seed tubers will be an effect
ual means of prevention should be
given no weight except that, under
certain possible conditions, the disease
may be light from such seed as COM
pared with the injury it does to a crop
from heavily diseased seed.
AS to the origin of the disease in a
new crop, l need here only again af-
trm that it does not arise from anv of
the following named agencies, oftimes
cited by various writer's as direct eau.
ses l. Erosion or etching by worms
or insects; 2, cracking or erosion by
chemical or foreign substances in the
SOIL 3, abnormal growth caused bv
excess OF water in the soil or, 4, abun.
dance of stable manures but that it
is due wholly to the action of parasi.
tic plant organism of low order which
attacks the potatoes when in growing
state, thriving upon and within the tis.
sues, cells of the tubers (See Fig. 89)
Because OF the irritating action of the
parasite, an abnormal tissue formation
arises which eventually decays, and
the result is the scab mark which so
mars the potato.
1t has been demonstrated Bulletin
No. Aloe. Cit that: l. The character
OF the soil in itself, no matter what its
texture-sandy, clayey, mucky, wet or
dry-has nothing what ever to do
with the origin of the disease:
2. Diseased seed tubers will always
communicate the disease to new
crop.
3. The disease will remain in active
condition in the soil from crop to crop.
4. The disease attacks other garden
vegetables, notably beets and any re.
fuse of an old diseased plant, such as
vines, etc., may communicate it,
1t is necessary that these last three
points be understood and remembered
when contemplating a treatment for
prevention.
TREATMENT.-The corrosive subli-
mate treatment recommended in Bull
letin No. 4, of the North Dakota Ex-
pertinent Station, has had another
years trial, not only at this station
but by potato growers, and has proved
effective in degree beyond previous
expectation.
METHOD OF APPLICATION.-Diss
corrosive subliNate (mercuric bichLOride)
in water at the rate of two ounces of
the chemical to Is gallons of water.
Soak the seed potatoes in this solution
u hour, cut and plant as usual.
From this it will be seen that no plant
disease which is successfully com6ated
is susceptible to so simple treatment
one so easily carried out.
CAUTIoN.-Mercuric bichloride is a
strong polson-be as careful with it as
with all other poisOns. The solution
should stand some time before it is
used, to insure complete solution of
the chemical which should be thor
oughly pulverised before it is added to
the water. Plant only on ground
kaOa0n to be free of disease. .-RurGl New
Yorker.