Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-03-14
D|SEASE-FREE
POTATO PLANS
Department of Agriculture Is
sues Bulletin to AgricuItur-
lists Describing Maladies.

More general and concerted efforts
on the part of potato growers are
needed to combat certain diseases
which threaten to impair the vigor
of the seed stock and to cause the de-
terioration of varieties, according to
the United States Department of Ag-
riculture's investigator. To open the
way for more efficient measures of
control for potato diseases that have
not always been definitely under
stood a new bulletin is now issued,
entitled Potato Wilt, Leaf Roll and
Related Diseases" 1t can be had
free on application to the United
States Department of Agriculture,
Washington, ID. c.
The group of potato diseases treated
in the new bulletin now raises a prob
lem of increasing Importance to prac-
tical agriculture in different coun-
tries throughout the world Environ
ment has a most important influence
on crops in the several States and in
foreign countries. Therefore, great
care is needed to determine exactly
which method of control is best in
each specific instance where disease
is present. The Bulletin wishes par
tieularly to emphasize the fact that
the same system of seed selection and
crop rotation that will free the potato
field of wilt, leaf-roll and curly dwarf
will not only bring under control
plackleg and some other diseases, but
will insure the maintenance of the
strains cultivated in their most vigor-
Gus conditions and free from obJectio-
al,I1 VaTipti2C-
Losses from late blight and rot oc-
cur mainly in the Northern States.
This causes particularly heavy losses
during cool and humid seasons. In the
States east of the Mississippi and
north of the Ohio this disease Is par
ticularly common. 1t is now success
fully combatted by spraying with
Bordeaux mixture. It Is also hoped
that the more disease-resistant va
rieties will soon aid in controlling this
blight.
To the South early blight and tip
burn play a greater role than the late
blight in injury to the potato crop.
Early blight is apparently not SO
common in the cooler and more uni
form climate of northern Europe.
Nor does one find there that ttp-burn
Is as common as here, where hlgh
summer temperatures combine with
the injuries of flee beetles and other
insects to cause excessive transplra-
ton and its consequent marginal
burning of the leaves. Here also the
logical line of attack seems to be the
production of varieties possessing
heat resistance.
With the progress of studies of
this problem other potato diseases
have been recognized in the United
States. Some of these. like the brown
rot, had doubtless been long preVa-
lent, while others, like the blackleg,
appear to have been recently intro
duced from Europe.
A new group of diseases came into
prominence about ten years ago,
which had not hitherto been recog-
nized as of economic Importance.
Soon after there occurred in Europe
an outbreak of q disease known as
"leaf-roll. This affliction caused
heavy losses in Germany and Aus
tria and elsewhere. though it has
not been as generally destructive as
was feared Whether it is the same
as an American disease is still a
subject of controversy One OF the
main objects of the Investigators of
potato diseases in the department of
agriculture Is to distinguish between
American and European troubles, so
that IL the disease originally occurs
In this country 1t may be controlled
and If 1t originates in Europe 1t may
be kept out by quarantine.
The Department. new bulletin con-
tains numerous Illustrations of new
diseases that are to be feared by
potato growers. If growers Will real
lie more clearly the danger of the
insidious losses suffered because of
seldom recognized diseases and from
diseases transmitted through the
seed, they viii be more eager to join
general campaign against these
troubles. The final result Will be to
place the potato industry on a higher
plane than 1t occupies now.