Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-10-10

The Government Will Els.
tablish the Largest Fed.
eral Experiment Station
In United States.

Somewhere in the Snake river valley
there will be established by the federal
government one OF the largest and most
important experimental stations in
the United States the main purpose
Of this new experimental station be-
ing to ma out the best potato to grow
in the irrigated sections of the United
States; another very important object
OF this new experimental station IL
to teach the potato growers Of Idaho
the great necessity and importance Of
the proper selection of seed potatoes.
and to warn these potato growers of
the grave danger Of the various po-
tato diseases. such as wilt and dry
rot, and other diseases 80 damaging
to potatoes.
4 Another important reason for the es-
tablishing Of this experimental sta
ton in the Snake river valley IL to
induce the production in Idaho Of more
and better sugar beet seed.
Federal Plant Experts Here.
i Professor L. c. Corbett, the horti-
culturist in the bureau Of plant indus
I try in the United States department
of agriculture, and Professor william
i A.. Orton. the gree plant pathologist
(plant doctor). who is in charge Of the
diseases Of potatoes and truck crops.
and sugar beet Investigations in the
whole United States, were both at the
Inter- Mountain fair Wednesday after
noon. They left last night for Nevada
and California. for the purpose CT con-
tlnuing their Investigations in the po-
tato and sugar beet seed situation.
4 When seen by a Capital News rep
resentative at the fair grounds these
two great experts from Washington.
d. c.. expressed much pleasure to
have the newspapers assist and CO.
operate with them in an "ffort to in
duce the potato growers to exercise
great care in the selection of good and
pure seed potatoes, so that the raw
nges OF potato diseases may be over
rome before the great losses which
other potato sections have and are
suffering. before Idaho growers suffer
similar losses.
i Great Loss in One Potato District.
These experts said: There is one
potato section In the irrigated west
whose potato production In one year
carloads. In the year of the 500 car
load yield. the acreage in potatoes was
as large as the year before when the
yield was 10000 carloads. In this same
potato district the acreage is about
half this year what 1t was two years
ago. This year the potato yield in that
section is 500 cars, which shows how
'ar from normal crop yield that
| hnC hA Of hi tpn-
mendous drop In the potato crop yield
is because the potato growers in that
district continued year after year in
;, the use Of poor seed potatoes, until
last year the potato diseases almost
wiped out the potato crop In that dis
trict."
i Warning to Potato Growers.
i 1--WE want to warn the Idaho potato
growers of the grave dangers result
ing from potato diseases. There are
several bad potato diseases. one OF the
most dangerous of which 10 wilt and
dry rot.
] 1.-THE natural conditions and environ
ment in the Snake river valley are as
fine as can be for potato culture and
sugar beet seed production, but the
potato growers in this great valley
must be ever up and alive to the dan
gers Of potato diseases. We want to
warn the people here Of the gravity
Of the situation. AS matter OF fact
potato diseases are already tanning
Roadway in the Snaks river valley.
The growers in this valley cannot ex-
pect to avoid the diseases in Idaho
unless rigid care Is taken. Wilt and
, dry rot Is infectious and is spread
through the planting of infected seed
potatoes.
!. 1.-THE trouble in practically all Of the
potato districts Is that the growers
in too many cases. ship out their best
potatoes, and keep the small potatoes
which are used for planting as seed
the next year.
How Seed Potatoes Are Selected.
"For instance: A grower has a hill
containing nine potatoes. Eight of
them are good and one Is a small po-
tato. These eight good potatoes are
shipped out, and the one little one Is
kept for seed. Or vice versa, a hill
contains nine potatoes, one Of which
10 good and eight are small. The eight
small ones go In the seed pile. and the
one good one is shipped. This prac-
tice must be stopped The growers
should select the good potatoes for
their seed.
Gravity in Sugar Best essd.
1.-THE sugar beet crop OF this nation
10 the most valuable crop in the United
States that 10 entirely dependent on
European seed This country imports
annually 100000 worth Of sugar
beet seed from Europe. Il II not the
value Of this seed 20 much as It ID
the great value OF the crop produced
from this seed, that 10 o. grave con-
Germ to this nation. II, for any rea-
son, this nation were to be cut on from
getting its sugar beet seed from Eu-
rope for Just one year. the loss to this
nation would be . tremendous one.
Idaho IL one Of the most promis-
,rx fields for the production Of sugar
beet seed In the world.
Idaho Gets Largest Station.
I'VE have besn IN Idaho for the pur-
} pose of finding . location for the fed
oral experiment station for the Inn