The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1913-08-15

this plat per cent of the vines wer'
visibly affected with stem rot; abou
10 to Is per cent of the hills wer,
, missing on account of diseased cut
, tings.
Carefully Selected Seed Brings Goot
Result
Plat 8 Same kind of land and 70
tation as plat No. /, but the seed was
taken from carefully selected potatoes
each weighing from to 10 ounces
and cut into four pieces. Only pei
cent of these vines were visibly af.
fected, the gaps were few, the vines
uniform and preceptibly larger and
more vigorous than the others.
To Plant the Run of Cellar" From
Diseased Potatoes is Disastrous
In the field of another grower whose
seed had not been selected or treated,
40 per cent of the vines were visibly
affected with stem rot, both Rhizoc-
tonia and "black-leg" and all were
puny In addition to this, about SO
per cent of the cuttings had failed to
sprout at all on account of bad dry
rot infection. The whole field was
absolutely unfit for either seed pur-
poses, marketing or storage. In vary
ing degrees these lessons were repeat
ed as other fields were inspected.
What Careful Selection and Clean Soil
Will Do.
An inspiring sight for any farmer
in the state was the 100-acre field of
splendidly uniform, vigorous potato
vines, then almost meeting between
the rows. The field was planted with
carefully selected, clean seed. 1t re-
minded the visitors of some of the
best Scothch and English fields from
which such enormous yields are OBJ
| tanned
Normal YieiG FAR too Low on Account
of Disease and Lack of Selection
The writer was informed that con-
ditions were about normal this sea-,
son, and that the average yield of po-
tatoes in the Idaho Falls district is
125 sacks per acre. Many of the
careful growers obtain yields of 200
to $50 sacks an acre, under condi-
lions causing them a loss of stand
ranging from 10 to 25 per cent and
the presence of diseased plants
amounting to about as great a per-
centage. Is there any other business
beside farming that would tolerate
such percentage of loss, most avoid
able with modicum of care?
Preparation for Harvest
1t is none too early to make prep
ations for the coming harvest and the
marketing and storage of potatoes.
The spring inspection showed the
presence of potatoes infected with
powdery rot and Rhizoctonia scab in
practically every cellar. This means
that now the spores of these disease
producing fungi lie in wait to attack
the new crop. In plain language, in
their present condition the cellars are
veritable pest houses for potatoes.
What then is to be done?
Sanitary Measures Necessary
1t is true of plant as well as of
animal diseases, that sanitary meas
ures are among the best safeguards.
A thorough cellar-cleaning and disin-
lection is therefore in order now. In
the dust and trash lying on floors and
in every nook and Granny of potato
cellars in this state lodge innumerable
potato disease germs which unless re-
moved or destroyed, may, and prob
ably will attack the new crop placed
there during the coming harvest.
Clean Out and Disinfect all Potato
Cellars Before Harvest
All the trash should be removed
from the floors quite thoroughly, in
Guiding old potatoes, and sacks which
have previously been used to hold
potatoes or have been in contact with
hem. The cellar should then be thor
oughly disinfected. One of the best
methods of doing this would be the
application of a lime wash contain
ing a fungicide to walls and ceiling,
either by brush or spray machine. For
this purpose fresh lime should be
lie cked with water to a cream-like
to this should be added 1
quart of formaldehyde to every 10
gallons of the wash. Every portion
If the cellar should be treated. The
1oors might better be treated first,
md instead of the lime wcsh, they
night be sprayed heavily with solu-
ion of copper sulphate (blue-stone,
,lue-vitroD, 1 pound to 10 gallons