The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1905-11-03
POTATO BLIGHT.
Some suggestions as tn Control or Entire
Prevention.

The loss suffered from potato blight
by growers in this vicinity makes the
following article, prepared by the Mich
igan agricultural college experiment
station, a timely one:
at has been shown by DIR. f.. +. Smith
that single species of bacteria has the
power of producing blight in number
OF plants OF the potato family. Among
the cultivated ones may be mentioned
the Irish potato, tomato, egg plant and
pepper. Several common weeds such as
the horse nettle, jimson weed and ground
cherry are also susceptible to the disease.
However we are especially concerned
with the disease as it occurs in our CON
mon garden vegetables.
The blight manifests itself in the vines
by sudden willing either of part or
the whole. The stems usually wither,
turn yellow and finally black. Young
plants appear to contract the disease
more readily than old ones. By cutting
across the affected stem one can see the
characteristic brown or black woody
tissue in which the bacteria are at work.
The tubers from sick plants show a
distinct ring of discolored tissue short
distance from the outside of the potato
Fungicides are of no value in treating
the disease and prevention is the only
remedy. Do not use diseased tubers for
planting and avoid planting on potato
sick land as we'll as on land which has
had diseased tomatoes or egg plants.
The symptoms of the blight in the
tomato and egg plant are much the same
as those for the potato. The vines wilt
as if suffering from too hot sun or lack OF
water Decay of the stems and branches
soon sets in, resulting in the destruction
of the plant
Here, too, spraying has been found use
less, for the cause of the disease is deep
seated within the tissue and beyond the
reach of any germicide. Insects, un-
doubtedly, play some part in carrying
the germs from plant to plant and thus
spread the trouble, but the soil seems to
be the principal medium of infection.
What has been said in connection with
the potato may be said about planting
tomatoes and egg plants on land that has
had diseased specimens of the potato
! family.
If the disease is not too general, it is
possible to control its spread by remov-
ing the dead vines with the roots from
the field and burning them. 1t Is OF
utmost Importance that the vines be de.
stroyed and not thrown down carelessly
to start the disease in a healthy part OF
/ the field Remember that you are deal
! ing with a contagious disease and 1t Is
your duty to keep it from spreading
One sick vine in your field this year may
mean the loss of half your plants next
year. Numerous cases have been re
ported where soil diseases have beer
carried from farm to farm, up and dowr
the road by the infected mud that adhere'
to the wagon wheels. The greatest care
should be exercised in blowing and cult
waiting not to drag sick vines over healthy
soil, for by so dong the disease is spread
and what might have been a mild attach
is aggravated to such a degree that I
general epidemic results. Tools should
be thoroughly cleaned before going from
an infected field into one free from tn
disease, and as further precaution the.
should be disinfected by washing or dip
ping them into a per cent solution o
either carbolic acid or copper sulphate
commonly known as blue stone. 1t i
important that the gardeners shoes a
we'll as those of his horse be free from
clumps of infected soil before going int
new field.
There is a common practice anon
some farmers of hauling the soil that ha
washed down hillside back up onto tn
shallow Places of the farm. If this
done, ore should be very certain that tn
: hillside from which this soil has washe
is free from all plant diseases, for tn
writer is familiar with several instance
where infection has been spread owe
healthy land IN this way
Where no remedy can be given, it
+ clear that our only hope of controlling
disease is by preventing its spread. b
= observing the foregoing suggestions, it
believed that the most serious plar
disturbance can be entirely prevented c
at least controlled