Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-10-26
TO PREVENT
DISEASES OF THE
Sweet POTATO.
Robt, McWaue.

Washington. Oct. 25.-NOw Is lac
time 70 take steps for the prevention
of sweet potato diseases. That5s a
warning which Uncle Sam feels IS
especially needful, and to which pr.
Houston and his experts in the de-
partment Of agriculture unanimously
point, for the direct purpose OF bene-
itinlg the farmers and others, by cali.
Ing their attention and that Of all
sweet potato growers in every sec
zion OF the country, TO the important
facs that now, Willie the harvesting
of sweet potatoes is in progress, Is
tac right time to select disease-frea
seed for next years crop, in order to
prevent losses due to diseases.
The plant Psychologists Of this de-
partment estimate that the yield OF
sweet potatoes is reduced approx
mateiy $1O,OOO,O0O annually by the
rayages OF several diseases, notably
the black-rot, stem-rot, and foot-ros,
all Of which may be prevented by the
use Of proper precautionary meas
ures. In spite of this large loss OF
! money, the r Of 1913 will probably
amount to nearly SIS, 100000 bushels,
with a value of $40.00O 900. Two Of
these diseases, the black-rot and
stem-rot, are well known to mos;
farmers who grow sweet potatoes.
' Black.rot is nearly rs widely dis
tributed as the crop itself. II affects.
the plant from a little above the soil
line down into the ground, causing a
black, rotted appearance Of the al
footed part of the stem. In the win
ter it is common in many storage
houses and is readily recognized by
the black, circular, somewhat sunk
en- spots, which render the potatoes
unstable.
Stem Rot Destructive.
Stcm-rOt, although not quite so
widely distributed, is equally as de-
structive. Ii is caused by an or
ganism which enters the vines, stems
and roots of the plant and fills the
understanding vessels. ct enters the
potato at the stem end, where it ap-
pears as II blackened ring just be-
meath the skin. In fields where this
disease occurs, plants can be see
throughout the summer whiting, turn,
ing yellow, and gradually dying.
FOot-rot, another disease, less wide
ly distributed, but bad in the lOcali-
ties where found, kills many plants
in the fields by destroying the bark
on the stem a few inches above the
hill. =,
These diseases are found both in
the hotbed and in the field and may !
be carried through the winter on the
seed potatoes and in the soil. In
lection may, therefore, result from the
use Of diseased potatoes for seed or
from the use of infected soil in the
hotbed or field where the slips are
grown and transplanted. With these
facts in mind, it is clear shat a clean
crop could be grown il disease-free
seed, is used and bedded in disease
free soil and the slips coming there
from planted Oh ground where the dis
ease is not present. These three re-
quirements can be fulfilled by selec-
:tion Of seed, by disinfection of soil
in the hotbed, and by crop rotation.
Selection Of Seed.
Seed potatoes for the new crop
should be selected, preferably in the
fall, at digging time, and carefully
examined again in the spring, when
starting the hotbed, and all discarded
that show any symptoms Of disease.
Before any seed potatoes are select
ed from a hill, the stem just above
the potatoes should be sniff omen n