Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-07-16
SAvANTS TO WAR
ON POTATO FOES
Mysterious Disease Germs
Threaten Nations Crop.
Wide Train Tour.

| States is in danger. To save 1t from
destruction the foremost plant scien
lists of the world are to be gathered
from Berlin, Paris, London and thu
United States and sent out into the
potato fields of Maine, New York
Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ne.
braska, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah
Idaho, Oregon, washington and Cali.
fornia in an effort to discover cure
for the ills with which it is suffer
ing. The party will make the start
from Bangor, Me-, on August !, and
will finish it's work in San Francisco
about October 1. The entire time OF
the party will be consumed in study
ing the diseases which have recently
attacked the potato plant. After the
return report will be made to the
United States government and to
each State visited. This report will
contain the result of the survey made
by the scientists and will exhaustive
ly treat of potato troubles throughout
the country as well as those local to
each State.
Great Sayants at Work.
Among those taking part in the
survey will be Government Counsel
lor DR.. o. Appel, of the Imperial In
stitute for Agriculture and Forestry,
Berlin. DR.. Appel is the recognized
leader in Europe for this work. DIR.
H. w. Wollenwober, who is the best
authority in the world on Fusarium
diseases of plants, is another German
savant who will join the party. Pro-
fessor L. G. Corbett or Professor
William Stuart, IL Is hoped, will par
ticipate. Both are representatives of
the cultural and economic side of the
potato industry. Professor L. r.
Jones, professor of plant pathology,
University of Wisconsin, hopes to ac-
company the party from Wisconsin
westward. The American Bureau of
Plant Industry will be represented
by e. II. Grub, the famous potato
expert, of Carbonate, Col. He will
leave Bangor with the party and
continue with it as far as San Fran
cisco. Every State university of
those States which grow large crops
of potatoes is expected to send one or
two of its experts along. especially
while the party is within its own
boundaries.
In detail the itinerary will include
Aroostook county, Me-; western New
York, Ohio, the potato district of
Michigan, points in southeastern and
north central Wisconsin, st. Paul and
points in northern and northwestern
Minnesota, Alliance and Mitchell,
Neb; Greedy and nearby points in
northern Colorado. eastern Wyoming.
Salt Lake City, Idaho Falls, Aber-
deem and Jerome, Idaho; southern
Washington, Portland, Rogue River
Valley, Ore: Stockton, San joaquin
Valley and San Francisco. Stops of
from one to four days will be made
at each point and as far as possible
travelling will be done by night.
Laboratory on a Car.
One car of the train will be fitted
up as a laboratory with the very best
microscopes and other scientific in
struments made. There will be
cameras and experts to work them.
Chemists In the party will have the
use of as fine a chemical laboratory
as they have in their home univer-
stiles.
According to Mr.. Grubb, who Is
supposed to know more about the
actual raising of potatoes than any
man in this country, the potato stu
alton is so serious that the entire
crop is in danger. Unknown plant
diseases have attacked 1t in almost
all sections of the country, the plant
germs supposed to have been brought
over from foreign countries So heavy
has been this attack, for instance,
that Utah, the greatest potato State
In the country. has had to import 80
per cent. of potatoes for it's own con-
sumption. That these diseases are
spreading rapidly is shown by the
fact that the dreaded leaf rolf
which has caused such heavy losses
in Colorado and western Nebraska,
has now made its appearance in
Maine and New York. Several other
diseases entirely new to science have
made simultaneous attacks upon the
potato plant in both Europe and
America, and 1t is hoped that the
gathering of experts from tho differ
ent countries may lead to the eradi-
cation of these diseases.
Railroads Supply Funds.
While en- route the scientists will
live in a train of eight cars which
will be placed at their disposal with
out change from Bangor to San Fran
cisco and back to New York. The
survey is financed by coterie of
railroads which operate in the ''po-
tato States of America" The roads
which joined the movement are the
Union Pacific, New York Central
Great Northern, Northern Pacific
Burlington, Northwestern and South
ern Pacific. The assessment against
the Union Pacific alone is 100000.
The results of the work will scarce
ly be tabulated in time to be of ben.
eft to the crop of 1918. but it is hoped
such discoveries will be made by tn,
scientists that in time all the enemies
which at present afflict the potato
- Communicated and