New Ulm review., 1913-02-26

thirty gallons OF ITeSn mixture CHI US
prepared ut time. ~
The old method of dipping potatoes
b in sacks. This method is objection
able because the sacks form q chem.
ical combination with the tornado
hyde and make the dipping solutl.
weaker.
After the potatoes have been dipped
they ought to be cut and planted
within half day or spread QUITO dry
If allowed to stand around in wet
condition considerable injury may re
suit.
Where planting is done on large
scale 1t would probably be most de
sirable to plan on dipping the potatoes
far enough ahead SO that they can be
dried before cutting. If a special dry
ing platform we're prepared for this
purpose with floor made OF lumber
three or four inches wide and with
cracks an inch wide between the
boards, and this floor were set UP
about eighteen inches from the ground
SO that the air could circulate freely
under 1t, the potatoes would dry very
rapidly. The potatoes should be
spread out in layer about six inches
deep. The platform should be located
where the wind has good chance to
get at 1t. If desired, potatoes can be
treated IN this manner some time be.
fore they are to be planted and stored
Awov oOoin until noo3od uas{ .
An important matter to keep in
mind in connection with treatment
for potato scab is that it is what may
be called a germ" disease. Sacks
which have contained scabby pota.
toes have the scab germ on them and
II treated, potatoes are put back into
such sacks the germs will get back
on the potatoes again and infect
them. For that reason new sacks,
baskets and shovels should be used
for handling dipped potatoes, or else
they should be treated just as the
potatoes are in order to kill the germs
on them. The same would be true of
putting treated potatoes into bin
which had contained scabby potatoes.
AS the bin cannot be dipped a meth
cd of treating It would be to take a
broom and with some double strength
potato dip thoroughly wash it out.
The scab germs remain in the soil
where a scabby crop has been grown
and continue to live there for five or
six years afterward. To getSrid Of
scab in the soil rotation must be
planned so that potatoes will not come
on the same piece of land any more
often than is necessary, preferably
not until the sixth year on scabby
land. Dipping should not be neglect
ed, however, If it is necessary to
plant on such land within that time.
Manure, lime and wood ashes are
favorable to scab and may increase
the amount of scab if any germs are
present in the soil or on the seed pota.
toes to start it. Fresh manure is
more likely to cause trouble than rot
ted manure. The best way to handle
manure for potatoes is to put 1t on
some preceding crop, such as on a |
clover meadow which is to be plowed
up in the fall for potatoes. Some
lines manure causes trouble because
If feeding the scabby potatoes to the |
stock and then spreading the manure
IN potato land. Cooking the potatoes
destroys the scab germs and prevents
,rouble from this source.
Sometimes the formaldehyde OBJ
aimed does not give satisfactory re-
'ults on account of its being below
he required standard In strength.
Wherever there is any reason to BE-
ieve that anything 10 wrong with the
ormaldehyde obtained, residents Of
may send q sample to the
Division Of Chemistry, University
Farm, st. Paul. to be tested FREQ Of
'harge. A bottle containing not less
han two ounces should be sent.
uealth Wssniuf