Daily Kennebec journal., 1897-09-21
Sound Potatoes.

An Interesting piece of agricultural in
formation and one of vast Importance
TO the farmers of Maine as an object
lesson. is the report of the fine potato
crop grown by MIR. Albert A. Leavitt OF
Corinna. this season, and of his use
of the Bordeaux mixture as q prevention
of the rust on the tops. always tho
sure forerunner of rot in the tubers),
which insured the success of his crop.
Mr. Leavrt planted ten acres of
potatoes. "a part of which were planted
carly, and the remainder were planted
late. The former were sprayed with the
Bordeaux mixture three or four times.
the tops remained green as in early
summer until the potatoes ripened, and
there were no rotten ones among them.
The yield of their portion was 900 bush
els per acre: while the yield of the later
planted ones not treated with the Bor-
deaux mixture is about $50 bushels per
acre.
Mr.. Leavitt's crop this year will be
about 1890 bushels-which at $1.00 per
bushel. the present price, will bring a
ence would be made to the farmers of
Maine. had they all used the Bordeaux
mixture, as did Mr.. Leavitt; and what
n handsome revenue they would now
be having from their fields of sound.
ripe, handsome potatoes. instead OF the
small receipts from the fields of rotten
ones now so common everywhere in the
State. We also learn that Mr.. Charles
b. Dore. one of the good farmers of
Levant. has also used the Bordeaux
mixture this year. (as he has done in
former years, as noted previously by the
Commercially. and with like excellent re-
suits as in the case of Mr.. Leavitt.
Potato rot or late blight" as 1t is
frequently called. is common. and at
the same time. one of the most serious
diseases of the potato. 1t is the result
of the growth and development of a
fungus plant within the tissues of the
oV,4 tt,1So G~rt svnxJtr f<,vr
of the presence of the fungus is the
browning of distinct areas upon the
leaves: a portion of the leaf may be
affected or the whole leaf may be in
volved. If the weather is warm and
moist the disease usually spreads with
great rapidity,, a whole field assuming a
brownish or blackened appearance WITH
| in a few days from the first evidence of
the presence of the malady; or II the
weather Is cool or dry. 1t may be difficult
| to distinguish the effect of the fungus
from the natural maturing and dying of
| the foliage Early potatoes are seldom
| Ii ever injured. as the disease does not
make its appearance until July or August.
| The leaves should be sprayed with the
| mixture early IN July-depending some
what upon the condition of the season.
whether early or late-and again after
intervals of about two weeks. until the
spraying has been done three or four
times. The following is the formula for
preparing the mixture as sent out by the
Maine experiment station: six pounds
copper sulphate; four pounds fresh un-
slaked lime. Dissolve the copper sui
phate in small quantity of water; slake
the lime, adding a few quarts Of water
after the lime is Stacked, and when cool
mix with the copper sulphate solution
and dilute with enough water to make
in all As gallons. 1t Is advisable to
| strain the lime solution before adding
| to the copper sulphate, as 1t usually con-
tains more or less coarse material which
would clog the spraying apparatus.
| The State experiment station has been
| of great service to the farmers by MAX
ing experiments with this solution for
| the prevention of the rust in potatoes.
and in publishing the same free, for the
benefit of the farmers Of the State. Had
| they generally used the mixture this sea-
| son they would have reaped for SO doing
a harvest Of thousands upon thousands
of dollars. over and above what they will
now get for a poor, half decayed crop.
| Let them remember this another sea-
son.-Bangor Commercial.