The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1913-06-20
POTATO INDUSTRY.


edy found, will result in that com
mon food product Becoming a rar
specimen of agricultural effort, IL
the opinion of number of the world
greatest experts on the science
of potato growing and agriculture in
general, including Eugene V. Grub
we'll known throughout this section
of the country.
So well founded is this fear that
the railroads of the country have
agreed to assist in financing a plan
at cost of over half a million dol
lars in order to discover. if possible
what is causing the potato trouble
and the best remedy for it and the
best method of fighting it.
The condition Is not confined to
this section, which, in fact, is sin
gularly free from any infection, but
! is a worldwide complaint wherever
potatoes are grown and foreign coun-
| tries are interested equally with the
United States.
The Union Pacific railroad COM
pany contributed 100000 toward
the fund which will enable the in.
vestigators who are to cross the con
tircnt from the most eastern ccan-
/ ty of Maine to southern California.
10 visit every potato growing section
ir the country 4 special train will
be made up bear experts from Fran
ce, Germany, England and America,
who will make an exhaustive study
of conditions which threaten one Of
the greatest food crops the world
produces. Idaho Falls occupies a
prominent place on the itinerary.
The Aberdeen section and Jerome,
Idaho, will be visited in order to get
the benefit of the study to be made.
The train will be made up of 8
coaches and will start from Bangor,
Maine. August the list. it is expected
that the trip throughout the potato
growing district of he country will
occupy the time of the experts until
October the 1st. at which time they
hope to be in southern California.
In discussing the situation, Eugene
V, Grub, the we'll known expert,
said;
"The situation is so serious that
the entire potato crop of the world
is threatened and is in danger
Unknown plant germs supposed to
have been brought from some for
eign country, have attacked the crop
in all sections, Utah, one of the
greatest potato states in the country,
has had to import SO per cent of her
seed potatoes, SO heavy has been the
attack in the west.
That the diseases are spreading
rapidly is shown from the fact that
the dreaded "leaf rolf which has
caused such heavy losses in Colorado
and western Nebraska has now made
it's appearance in Main and New
York. Several other diseases, entire
ly new to science have made stimuli
taneous attacks upon the potatoes in
Europe and America.
AS first steps toward discovering
a cure for the ills with which the
potato is suffering, some of the fore
most scientists of the world are to
be gathered from Germany, France,
England and America. They will
go into the potato fields of Maine,
New York, Ohio, Michigan, Wsicon-
sin, Minnesota, Nebraska, Colorado
Wyoming, Utah, Idaho. Oregon
Washington, and California, for per-
sonal observation.
The party will start from Bangor,
Me-, August 1, and will finish its
work in San Francisco about Octob-
err /. No time will be wasted in try
ing to teach the farmers how to grow
more or better potatoes, but the
members of the scientific party will
study the nature of the diseases that
have attacked the potato plant.
Practically all of the arrangements
have been made for the trip. The
itinerary is complete and the money
secured for the expenses. German
and American scientists who will
head the party have already been
named although the English and
French experts have not been select
I'd.
While on its way the party will live
IN a train of eight cars which will
be placed at its disposal, without
change, from Bangor, to San Fran
,isco and back to New York One
,ar will be fitted with laboratory
With the best microscopes and other
scientific instruments obtainable.
There will be cameras and experts to
work them and the chemical labora-