Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-11-14
Agricultural Help
THE WART DISEASE OR POTATO
CANkER A MENACE TO MAINE.
Potato Growers Should Be VigiIant to
Guard Against introduction.

| maintain that so far as this State is
| concerned ii is an industry still in its
Einfancy-that Maine has many thous-
| ands of acres OF good potato land still
| undeveloped which may be made use
OF as fast as the rapidly growing pop
| ulation of the country demands Il
/ larger supply of potatoes. Since sue
| cessful potato growing is in a large
measure dependent upon the efficient
| control Of the various insects, fungous
and bacterial parasites of the potato
| it is the settled policy of the Maine
Agricultural Experiment Station to
make this one of the most important
| lines OF plant disease work.
Judging from the reports of expert
ence in other countries the Station
Psychologists believe that no greater
calamity could befall the potato grow
ing industry of Maine than TO have
the wart disease of potato canker
gain foot-hold within our borders
In fact this is probably the most dan
gerous and destructive disease which
has appeared in the history of potato
culture.
This malady. which in Europe has
been Known under various names, such
as ''warty disease. black scab."
'canker," and .'cauliflower. was first
described from Hungary in 1896. In
1902 il was reported from England, and
TIVE years ago It was said to be pres
ent in England, Scotland Ireland Ger
many and Hungary. So far as known
it has not yet reached the United
States, but in the fall of 1909 it was
found 70 have crossed the Atlantic and
was present in Newfoundland. The
Dominion government took prompt
measures to prevent its spread to the
mainland of Canada ana at present the
concealment of an outbreak of the dis
ease there is severely punishable by
law
All attempts to secure the passage
of proper quarantine law in the
United States against this and similar
threatening plant diseases failed till
about the close of the last Congress.
Under this law the Secretary of Agri-
culture has now issued regulations
prohibiting the importation of potatoes
from countries and districts where the
disease has appeared. It-is not beyond
the range of possibility that this ac-
ton has come too late to secure the
ent warning is issued.
On account of the shortage of the
1911 crop at homo many thousands of
bushels of potatoes were imported into
the United States. during the last tau
ANA winter. from the countries now un-
der quarantine. 1t is not improbah BILE
that some of the potatoes so imported
were affected with the wart disease
and il is possible that somewhere in
the United States some of these were
planted in 1872.
Should the potato canker or wart
disease become established in Maine
the potato growing industry might be
ruined. Under the quarantine law
mentioned above the Secretary of Ag-
riculture has the power to prevent the
shipment of potatoes into other states
from those in which the disease exists.
All potato growers who planted seed
tubers from unknown sources should
examine them for evidence of disease.
II any suspicious growths are observed
on them specimens should be sent at
once to the Maine Agricultural EXper-
iment Station. Since the Station path
ologist holds an official appointment as
collaboration with the Bureau of Plant.
Industry at Washington franked ship
ping tags could be sent, if desired,
which would carry the samples of sus
pected potatoes by mail free of charge.
The disease principally attacks the
tuber and is not noticeable till har-
vest time. When dug the potatoes
show various degrees of injury. Badly
attacked tubers are readily detected
hax 40 CO oil nc n a q
no resemblance to a potato. In such
cases they have become changed into
an irregular, rusty brown, coral like
mass. Others may show various stag
es. with a part of the tuber retaining
its original form and appearance and
the remainder converted into the
growth described. This coral like
growth is not spongN and not detaeh-
able from the tnber. 1t is of some
what lighter color at the base and is
dotted with minute rusty brown spots
over the surface.
The most danger lies in the potatoes
which are so slightly affected that they
are not noticed and are used for seed.
The disease starts at the eyes and in
the earlier stages the eyes instead of
showing as depressions will appear
slightly protruding in the form of sim
gle nodule or group of small nodules,
varying in size from that of pin
head to that of small pea. If a sus-
pected tuber is washed the affected
eyes are readily distinguished from the
healthy enes byi the color. The sound
eye will be white or slightly protruding
and nodular and showing little resem-
blance to a healthy eSe of potato.
As has been pointed out above this
disease is spread by means of infected
seed tubers. The germs of the disease,
once in the soil, remain there in vlru-
lent condition for an undetermined Pc
riod-at least six years or more Dis
eased tubers cannot be fed to stock
with safety unless cooked and in cases
of severe attacks the entire crop on
large fields has been so badly affected
that it could not be utilized even in
| this manner. No satisfactory method
| of treating the soil has yet been de-
vised. Hence, if once infected, it be-
comes absolutely worthless for potato
growing.
CHARLES d. WOODS.
Director.