Rocky Ford enterprise., 1906-05-04
POTATO pRosLIms.
oviistin Of the Colorado Agricultural
Experiment Station.
Thy Prof. Wendell Paddock.)
tBy Prof. w


A Poor Stand Of Potatoes.-A poor
stand OF potatoes is usually due TO tho
attacks Of plant diseases OF various
kinds. Two OF these minute plants arc
quite common: one Of them causes the
seed potato to rot In the ground. and
the other attacks the young shoots.
often rottins them on before they
reach the surface OF the ground. In
the former Instance u will usually be
found that the seed potatoes have been
Injured by Improper storage. thus CIV
Ing certain fungi an opportunity To de-
y.lop. With the latter Instance. a fun
gus which Is associated with heavy.
poorly drained soil In responsible.
such soils should commonly be
avoided for potato growing. Potato
soii contains NOR. or less sand OF
gravel and IL well under.drained.
Vines and No Tubcrs-ThiS condition
IL a common one In many parts Of the
state. and is largely due To the attacks
OF a fungus which thrivcs best in
heavy. damp soil. This condition may
not appear every year. but usually u
will not pay to try To grow potatoes Ia
soil where this condition Ii nt all
noticeable.
Potato Scnb.-Truc potato scab IL al'
ways caused by the attacks OF minute
plants. or fungi. and. curiousiy enough.
scab IN more common In the best 30
ta,o soils than II IL In localities whcf.
the crop In NOR. precarious. Good po-
iato soils. when first brought under
cultivation. often give large per cent
| OF scabby potatoes. but after one or
more crops Of alfalfa have been plowed
under. this tendency In partially cor
rcctcd.
In former publications We have ad.
yoeatcd the treating OF seed potatoes
as u means of preventing potato scab.
| Some OF our experiments with treated
seed gave good results. but the major
| Ity gay. negative results. These cS'
| perImcnts extended through four sea.
sons at Fort Collins and mt Greeley.
| Our conclusions are. that In these To-
| cali,Ics Il will not only pay TO treat
| seed potatoes for scab. but that such
| treatment may positively be dotri'
mental to the crop. Growers on the
western slope have reported good re-
suits from seed treatment: for this rca'
son formulas are given below.
Potato Biight.-Potato blight. or the
| dying OF the leaves and vines before
/ the crop IL mature. Is commonly
thourh, 10 be entirely due TO diseases
which attack tho top of the potato
| plant, We have not found II 80 In
| Colorado. Spraying experiments with
bordeaux mixture did nat materially
| lessen the blight. and the microscopic
plants which cause these leaf diseases
/ arc not commonly found associated with
| ,his trouble, We concluded. therefore,
| Tint the premature dying Of the potato
| vines Is usually an evidence that the
underground portion of the plants IL
diseased. Water applied ut the wrohs
| time often so fayors the development
| OF this disease that the vines may be
| seriously damaged In short time.
Internal Brown Spot.-A disease
| which appcars to be Identical with
what is known as internal brown spot
has mnde its appearance In some por-
tions OF the state. This trouble APP
pears to be the result OF certain condi-
lions. rather than to the attack OF any
specific plant disease. All that Is
known on the subject Is summed up in
| the following paragraph. which was
taken from Bulletin No. 81 Of the Blu.
reau of Plant Industry. United States
| Department of Agriculture:
1, is considered not to be parasitic
disease, and no remedy is known and
no suggestions are made except the
I doubtful one OF avoiding the use of dis
eased tubers for seed. In England and
Scotland several potato specialists OF
wide experience gave evidence OF like
purport. The trouble is frequently OBJ.
| served, and is most commonly called
.sprain.' 1t is not propagated
| In seed or soil and is non
parasitic 1t Is considered TO
be the direct result of NAL
nutrition associated with unfavorable
soil conditions. resulting either from
too dry conditions or from the lack OF
potash or lime. 1t is frequent In light,
dry soils during dry seasons, and Is
never seen on heavy. strong moist
soils. The remedy, in the Judgment OF
the specialists cited. lies wholly In at
tention to cultural conditions and the
choice of varieties"
Seed Selection.-Too much emphasis
cannot be given to the importance of
seed selection. 1t should be possible
by this means to build up strain OF
potatoes which would be adapted to
our conditions and which should be-
come better year after year. The FOL
lowing extract is quoted from former
bulletin of this station:
Another method which gives evil
dence of considerable practical value
is to set aside each year five or ten
acres Of land for the growing of seed
potatoes. The soil OF such tract ought
to be fertile and free from the various
diseases which attack the potato plant.
The tubers used in planting the seed
tract are carefully selected each year
from the seed plot of the previous
year The surplus seed is used for
planting the general crop, and In this
way strain of pedigree potatoes is
gradually developed.
Forr,ulae for Treating Diseased Seed
Potatoes.
Corrosive sublimate--1 ounce
Water. ....o SaiioHs
"Dissolve the corrosive sublimate in
r,,e gallon of hot water, then dilute
.-atta,, or ,yotar Allow