Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-04-08

er does the soil contain scab Of itself,
but after it has become infected by
the Introduction Of scab from outside
sources It may prove to be fertile
ground for the more or less rapid in
crease of the gungus. 1t is far bet
ter to keep scab out OF the soil by the
use OF tried and proved methods than
it is to get it out after it once obtains
a foothold.
II don't know Of any variety Of po-
tato that Is not susceptible to the scab
fungus" says Professor Morse, but
there may be greater resistant pow
or to some varieties than to others.
That is a question that is not fully de-
termined, although some varieties
when exposed to csab have not shown
as great tendency to producing scabby
fruit as some other have.
But there is no question OF tho
danger OF planting scabby seed po-
tatoes. and potatoes that have been
brought in contact with scabby po-
tatoes, although apparently smooth
and clean themselves. So infectious
Is this fungus that the soil may be in
fected even from the tools used to
plant and harvest the tubers. and po-
tatoes that have been stored in con-
tact with scabby fruit may have
enough of the scab adhering to infect
the soil in which the seed Is planted
DIsINFECTING ROOM
To my mind the best way, especially
when there is large quantity to be
freed from the scab or possible danger
from it," declared the pathologist lis
10 have disinfecting room such as we
lave at the station experimental farm
en- the John Watson farm In Houlton.
There in a close room the seed Is ex-
posed to strong formaldehydc gas. which
In from "A to Is hours completely de-
stroys the scab without In any way In
Turing the seed. Great care must be
taken to see that the disinfccted seed
doesn't come in contact with tools, car
r'ers or other articles which have held
Infected seed or the work Of dis!nfect-
ing may prove to have been thrown
away. BY the use o. potassium perman-
Sanate and commercial formalin. the de-
sired gas IL readily obtainable without
the use of fire. as fully explained in bull
letins sent from the station to any far
,ner who asks for them The prime nee
essity is to have the disinfecting room
so tightly closed that the gases cannot
escape till their work Is finished.
After the scab once gets into the soil
while It may not show much in the first
crop. It will stay there for several years
unless means are taken to eradicate II.
iris can be done by growing only crops
on which the fungus doesn't flourish,
such as grasses, etc, that are not sus-
=
n Dagas are quite susceptible. while some
ether crops are liable to he somewhat
infected from the presence OF the fungus
ir the soil.
sCAB FLOURlSHES IN ALKALINE
SOIL
"Particularly will the scab flourish IL
the soil is too alkaline and the practice
Of putting lime on the soil is simply
multiplying the scab materially, since
it puts the soil into just the condition
most favorable to its development. While
beneficial to the soil in preparation for a
clover and other grass crops. II Ia very
bad for the future crops In which the scab
may find a foothold.
This has been most interestingly
demonstrated in some experiments which
the station has been making for the past
year or two on the John Watson farm.
A field which had become infected with
scab was sown to clover and oats. The
land was divided into equal strips. In the
first Of which .he soil was treated to
dressing of 1000 pounds Of lime to thc
acre. while the strip next to 1t had no
lime whatever. and the next strip beyond