Devils Lake inter-ocean., 1912-03-22
POTATO scAe, ONE or THE TUB
ER's MosTsPREvALENT DIS "a
EASES, EASY TO COMBAT

Potato scab is much in evidence in
! the potato crop each year. It is one
,,.of the easiest diseases to keep under
control. The method usually employ
ed is to dip the seed potatoes in some
dis ,td3lllsslnfecting solution Two kinds are
| used, the formaldehyde solution and
the corrosive sublimate solution.
.T The Formaldehyde Treatment The
ftor:mQaldehyde dip is prepared by pour
f1ng a pint Of 40 per, cent Tornado
hyde into 80 gallons of water. Dipping
the potatoes in this solution for two
! hours will destroy the scab. :. s}f.. . .
Thifty gallons of the mixture will
treat about 80 bushels of potatoes. It
can be renewed by adding new mix
jsture up in the right proportions as the
I. old is used up, but it is probably best
!; not to use less than one gallon Of the
solution to each bushel. Large
amounts of mud should not be allow
ed to accumulate in the barrels. The
barrels shold Ike kept covered.
/ While the formaldehyde solution is
somewhat poisonous, if taken inter-
|. nally, and would kill if enough were
taken, it is far less deadly than the
corrosive sublimate solution, and is
| also, on account of it's peculiarities.
less likely to be taken by mistake. If
ordinary precautions are observed,
there Is very little danger of any per-
son or animal being injured through
Its use; and from the standpoint Of
safety, this remedy is vastly more de.
sirrable than the. corrosive sublimate
solution. ~. ....,f ... 5,:,,J,sst
Corrosive SubIimate Treatment
The proportions for the corrosive sub.
Innate solution are ounces of corro-
sive sublimate to 80 gallons OF, water.
The, corrosive sublimate should, first
be dissolved in about a gallon of hot
water, before pouring it into the bal
ance of the water required. Dipping
the potatoes in this solution an hour
and half will kill the scab on the
! tubers
This dip does not lose strength as
the formadlehyde dip does; and may,
therefore, be used almost Indefinitely
The barrels, or whatever the solution
, is used in,. should be kept securely COW
cred, to prevent the evaporation of the
water from the solution, which would
make it stronger, and to prevent ami
mails from drinking it. @'-
Caution: Corrosive sublimate is
one of the most deadly poisons known.
1t must be kept out of the reach of
children, and it's use must be most
carefully guarded, to prevent animals
from drinking of the. poisonous solu-
tion or eating the treated potatoes.
On account of the danger associated
with the use Of this remedy, the for
maldehyde dip is generally far more
desirable. %5 q, ls5til sasi5s:& ::
Method Of Dipping. Ordinary 50-gal-
Ion barrels are convenient for, dip
ping. Any number may be provided,
according to the needs. % One barrel
should suffice for handling from II to
20 bushels per day. H&'f %.'E@sIE {
It is usually most convenient to put
the potatoes in sacks for dipping in
the barrel containing the solution.
e. Care Of Potatoes After Treating.-
Potatoes must be cut and planted soon
after dipping. If not, they should be
spread out to dry. Ell. \. 4
Other Sources of Infection-Pota-
toes may become more or less scabby
from other sources than the infected
seed. Il a scabby crop has been once
| grown on a piece Of land, the soil be-
comes infected so for probably. five or
six years., However, if undipped scab-
iby seed-potatoes are planted ON such
soil, the crop will be more scabby than
| if the seed-potatoes had been dipped.
Rotation of crops is Of great value in
preventing the soil from becoming Sc
|rionsly inoculated with the germs of
this disease. 4 i5: $ .5,5
Another source of infection may be
through manure. II scabby potatoes
are fed to stock, the manure will con
tain the scab germs, and will infect
the land. Such potatoes should be
cooked before feeding, to destroy the
scab germs; or the manure should be
spread on land which will not be used
for potatoes for a number Of years. M:
Relation of Manure, Lime, and
|5vyood-Ashes to seab Manure, espe-
cially fresh manure. lime and wood
ashes are often said to be the direct
cause Of scab; !; but the assumption is
not true. There can be no scab un-
less the scab-germs are present. If
81 4.