The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-01-09
RAYMOND W. PULLMAN.
Times Washington Burequ. 40.
MetrODOllfnn RnnL RulIAinn

Metropolitan Bank Building.
n WASHINGTON. D.. c.. Jan. ,9-Otn-
Gals Of the United states department
OF agriculture ina
The Potato IL hard TO account
Embargo. Tor the storm OF
protests which
have followed the action OF Secretary
Houston In putting an embargo upon
all disease-infected potatoes from
Great Britain, including England. Scot
land, Wales and Ireland, Germany
Auslria-Hungary the remainder OF
continental Europe the Dominion OF
canada, Newfoundland and the islands
or 81. Pierre and Micqueion
Scores OF newspapers I'm various
parts OF the country have attacked
the secretary OF agriculture because
or his action, and their reasons for
doing so are diincult 20 understand,
according 20 horticulturists no point
10 the fact that less than TWO per cent
or the potatoes consumed in this coun-
try are or foreign import, and that to
leopardize the American potato crop,
which is more tnan 9S per cent OF
the amount of potatoes consumed, by
admitting disease-iniected tubers
would be 10 endauger the supply OF
one OF the nations most important ar.
ticles OF food.
Notwithstanding the great DAMAGE
which has been caused to native crops
In the United States by the attacks
OF insects and parasites which have
been imported into this country on
infested and diseased plants iuclud-
4 ing the gypsy brown-taied moth and
the chestnut bark disease. there are
| still come persons who think that the
J government action In placing an en-
barge on diseased potatoes has been
4 unwarranted and in the interests or
potato spectators Some letters OF
D protest have gone so far az 10 say
that the action has benefited no inter
ests but the potato trust Al mat
\ ter OF fact there IS no such thing as n
potato trust In this country, agriCultu-
raj experts point out, because the pota-
TO market would be about the hardest
4 thing in the world 10 corner owing
10 the fact that the product is perish
able and must be sold IN the course or
few months, and because the couir
n trys supply is almost entirely IN the
4 hands OF farmers. who can handle thelr
q crop almost as they please.
The principal reasons tor Directing
. 10 the prohibition against the lmporta-
ton OF disease-lnfected potatoes is
4 hat the governments action viii re-
4 suit in raising OF prices OF potatoes
during the coming season. following
Y the reports OF a shortage In this year
h crop. AS matter OF fact this year
crop amounts 10 more than 80 300 900
A bushels, and is considerably above
d he average yield for 10 years and Is
equal To The amount Of potatoes con.
sumed In any other year on record, eN-
cepting one The 1912 crop was larger,
but millions OF bushels Of potatoes
were not consumed and were allowed
to rot IN the ground, owing TO the fact
that prices were SO low that the crop
n many parts OF the country could
De handled without a loss.
Among the great staple crops OF the
! United States potatoes now stand fifth.
y In some form, the common, or irish
a rotato, as il Is generally called, ap-
n pears on the table of every person IN
\ the country. both rich and poor, more
often, perhaps, than any other article
of food, excepting bread. The value
OF the potatoes grown In this country
4 during the year 1913 is estimated 10
run up 10 $22S,00g,OOQ.
1 The quality Of irish potatoes grown
in the United States is improving
every year. and the yield per acre Is
also increasing The yield, however
is still far below that OF Germany ana
some European countries. The action
Of Secretary Houston I'm barring I'M
! ported potatoes which were injected
with the plant disease known as the
& "powdery scab" was taken purely for
the purpose OF protecting the Ameri-
can food supply. according 20 most OF
the agricultural authorities who nave
considered the situation.
Secretary Houston was carefui not
TO pass upon the question until he had
consulted authorities In this country
and had also considered the reports
OF the best known European special
lists. The reports OF the department.
OF agriculture for Ireland OF the DO
minion botanist Of Canada, and OF the
Transvaal department Of agriculture
brought out the fact that the Euro
mean agricultural experts have recog-
nized the danger OF the peculiar po-
tato disease for a number of years
and that they consider it one OF the
worst menaces possible 10 the potato
supply of their respective countries
The "powdery scah.' so-called' Is
bacterial disease which affects the po-
tato and for which there IS no known
method OF eradication. The germs
themselves remain in the soil AFTER
the plant has died, and zip To the pres
ent time no extensive investigations
have been made either in this country
or abroad to determine how long the
soil remains infected with the Viru'
lent germs OF the scab
Many OF the attacks which nave
.-keAa- mazda an tina SECRETARY of agricul-
ture may be traced, II is thought, TO
number OF the importers who had
counted on reaping g,eat profits by
the sale OF foreign-grown potatoes
during the coming season when there
is reported shortage In the potato
crop.
Uncle Sam is OH the trail OF the ma
larie-carrying mosquito. In much the
same manner as
After Malaria the Panama Canal
Mosquitoes. zone and Cuba have
been freed from
yellow fever. the germs OF which are
spread by a member of the mosquito
~