The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-05
The Irish Potato i'm the sOuth-Its
DfSeaeos

Messre. Gibson Bros, Youngs Island S.
C.. writes as follows:
we notice an article in the agricultural
department of the Savannah Morning
News, Of May p, and would ike to say
few words, and ask few question about
the Irish potato crop.
The prospects for a fun crop in this Sec
ton, have not been so favorable for
number of years, as they were this, and
but for the blight the evidently grow
ing evil, we would have made a fine crop,
Notwithstanding We have had no rain. TO
speak of, since the 9th Of April We
nave this season about 10 acres in pota-
toes, the second largest farm, we believe,
IN TINS section, and are confident we would
nave made an average OF sixty barrels II
our potatoes could have been allowed to
stand until fully matu4ed even without
me necessary ram, whereas we will prob
apiy not get more than an average OF be-
tween forty-flVe and fifty barrels. Our
STOCK, Whicn we are digging now, is free
from scabs, but win lose, We believe, five
20 ten barrels per acre from rOt on the
Dishted bushes. We use commercial! fer
uizer, per cent ammonia, Z PER cent
phosphoric acid per cent. potash, and
cotton seed meal, , coo TO 2 Z0J pounds per
'acre. There must be q cause for the
blight, which, until within the last few
seasons, was almost unknown 10 growers
IN this community, and when seems TO be
your correspondents name The cause, and
an antidote? Unless some thing is done
TO check this evil, farmers win be forced
20 abandon potato growing in the South.
We are thinking of trying as an expert
ment, about 1000 pounds Of calcine mari
per acre, or some other preparation of lime
on our land thinking thai he land might,
in some measure, be at fauiJ, as we notice
some spots, especially in the lower lands
and on the Slope Of hills, where it appears
10 be worse.
by Messrs Gibson Bros. blight has done
more damage TO potatoes in the South
TINS year than ever before. In fact, we
have had very litt,e OF that disease 10
contend with uD 10 this time, and few or
no growers were prepared to take the
necessary steps towards protecting the
crop when the disease made its appear
ance this season. Growers of potatoes
at the North and West have had 10 CON
tend with the disease a number of years,
and now consider IL requisite in potato
growing to be prepared to night it prompt
What relation scab has to blight We do
not know, but il is quite possible that
one is the result of the other 10 some eX-
tend. One disease leads to another. In
the first place we must never plant "scab-
by" potatoes If 1t is possible to avoid it,
In the next, if there IS the least evidence
of seab in the seed potatoes they should
be treated thoroughly for that disease be-
fore they are planted. In last weeks is
sue the most approved remedy for scab
was given with directions for preparing
the seed. This remedy is corrosive sub
Innate, and il has been found effective if
used properly. In our own garden ex-
perience we have found that when the
potato cuts We're thoroughly coated with
sulphur rubbed in, as il were)- hAfore be-
ing put into the ground the tuhers we're
invariably smooth and sound. This meth
cd is a very good one, il seems, for a
small area as the family garden, but It
is too tedious for the grower who plants
25 50 or 100 acres. The large grower viii
find the corrosive sublimate the best for
his purpose.
The usual remedy for. blight" is the
well-known Bordeaux mixture, composed
of blue vitriol, quick lime and water As
a preventative of the disease 1t is first
sprayed upon the plants when they are
eight to ten inches high, and this spraying
is repeated at intervals until the maturity
Of the crop IL deemed necessary. The
first indication of the appearance of the
disease is the upper leaves turning brown
and curling over This may occur in
April, or in May, according TO location.
The grower must watch for this evidence,
and on the first sign should spray freely
with the Bordeaux mixture,
Where land plaster can be had at fair
price 1t is well worth the expense and Ia
Dor 10 make two or three applications
freely on the vines while the dew is on
them 1t was demonstrated long ago that
gypsum thus applied to Irish potatoes
was as helpful to that crop as 1t was to
clover Ii promotes a healthy condition
of the plant in some way not well under
stood. but we have no doubt it has
strong tendency 10 prevent fungus
growth. Air slaked lime can also be used
to great advantage for the same purpose.
We need not suggest to experienced
potato growers the very bad influence or
unfermented manure on the crop. Sucn
manure should not be applied directly 10
potatoes. but should be applied to the
land some months in advance OF planting
p1oughed in say some time in November
or even October for the crop that is
planted in February We should be glad
TO hear from other large potato growers.