The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-10-18
WAHV DISEASE OF THE POI-AIo.
\ Most Serious Disease and Every ri
fort Should BE s.SGc TO iTcsshi 80
Ee.eiOnment IN TVS Country.

Deyeiopnen in THIS Country.
During the past thirteen years u
serious fungus disease OF potatoes hd9
spread throughout European coun-
tries. 1t was first recorded from Hun,
gary in 1895 and appeared in En5iaho
in 1901. and is known as the 'blacH
scab.' "warty disease and potato
canker." During the years that have
elapsed since the disease first became
known it has spread into ireland,
Scotland. England, Scandinavia. Ger
many, France, Italy and Uewfound-
land. and is prevalent over the greater
part of Europe. 1t was not known on
the American continent until 1t ap-
peared in Newfoundland in 1909
The extraordinary Virilence OF the
disease and the rapidity with which
it has spread, make it necessary TO
warn all potato growers to be on the
lookout for this disease.
Where allowed to establish itself it
renders the cultivation of potatoes ex-
tremely difficult, as they can not be
raised on that ground for a period OF
at least six years. Therefore, strin-
gent preventive measures should be
used to keep this disease out of the
United States. BY the terms of the
obstructive insect and pests order Of
1905" in England, Scotland, and
Wales. persons concealing this disease
are liable to prosecution and a heavy
penalty.
Ii is believed that the disease is
likely to be introduced into the
United States at any time. Ia order
that the disease may be recognized
and promptly reported it IS fully
described by II. T. Gussow in a bull
letin of the Central Experimental
Farm of Canada and by w. y. orion
OF the United States Bureau of Plant
industry, in a circular recently issued.
When the disease is prevalent no
ha1IthN tlltpFC will daC3Inn Whom
lifted they will show various degrees of
injury. The first indication of the dis
ease may be noticed around the eyes
of the potato, which show 81 alb
norma development of the dormant
shoot. In this condition the disease
Is liable to escape detection and thus
be spread by the use of infected tubers
as seed. In the earlier stages of the
disease the eye Will be found slightly
p~rotruding in the form Of a single or
compound group OF small nodules,
varying from the size Of a pinhead to
of the swollen eye is dotted over
with golden-yellow rings, az seen
with a pockea lens. Some tubers
will be found when the crop is har-
vested, with more or less than one
half Of them covered by these war,v
excrescences which in some instances
are larger than the tuber itself. This
Warty growth consists of a corai-like
mass. of more or less scaly excres-
cenceS. similar in appearances to the
Weii-knoWn crown or root gall Of APP
pies. The warts are of a somewhat
lighter color al the base and dotted
with minute rusty brown spots over
the surface. In advanced stages. the
tubers are wholly covered with this
growth, and ave lost every semblance
to potatoes.
A still more advanced stage occurs
when the fDn0IlS has I1fjlixaI n
particle Of food stored In the potato
and has reduced it to n brownish-
black soft mass, giving of a very un-
pleasant putrid Odor. This is the
most dangerous stage Of the disease,
as tubers which have reached it can
not be harvested whole. They break
in pieces and thus the Notwithstanding
mass. consisting entirely of the spores
of the fungus and remains of the cell
walls of the potato is broken up and
the land is badly infected for years.
The disease is often so prevalent as to
destroy the entire crop.
Diseased tubers are not fit for seed
and should either be DESTROYED by
burning or boiled and fed to pigs,
and as the tops also may be diseased
they should be gathered and burned.
, Infected soil Will for years produce
: unsound crops, and the disease NAV be
{ carried to uninfected areas by soil ad-
herring to the boots of the workmen.
, to farm carts, and to Implements. I'm
> der no circumstances should unboiled
! or decayed potatoes be used AS food
for stock, not onl ybecause the feeding
s value is reduced, but mainly because
I the spores of capable OF termination
after passing through the body Of the
animal. In removing the potatoes
g from the field the greatest precaution
c should be taken to clean thoroughly
. and disinfect the shoes, farm carts,
and implements used. 1t is recon-
/ nlellded when the tUbers are too wet
. to burn, that a hole be dug large en-
ough to hold ali of the tuberS, covered
with Il layer of lime s inches deep.
and then a layer Of potatoes, another
layer of lime 8 inches deep and SO on
using unSlacked lime. In this manner
the tuberS are Dut ont Of HARMS wav