Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-04-10

/ in an old one. The varied climatic
and soil conditions of several of our
states offer a wider range for the
new potato malady. The brief eXpe-
rience with this disease in Eastern
Canada gives no hint of what it's be-
havior might be in the southern truck
ing districts, the Central West or the
irrigated sections of the United States.
Related potato diseases have proven
more destructive in the Western than
in Eastern potato territory.
Particular Importance also attach
es to the fact that Maine is the one
state now seriously menaced. Maine
is the chief source of seed potatoes
for the Central Atlantic and South
ern States, and adjoins that portion
of Canada where the powdery scab
is now most serious. If Maine pota-
toes should become generally affected,
only the most extraordinary efforts can
check the spread OF powdery seab to
nearly every other state.
AS vet no method of controlling this
disease, when it once gets in the SOIL
has been found. The new bulletin of
the Department relates the results of
certain experiments which are inter
esting, but they are of such a pre-
liminary nature that further study
will be required before they can be
recommended. The best advice that
can be given a farmer whose fields
have produced a crop infected with
powdery scab is this: Don't grow po-
tatoes for several years on piece of
land that has produced a crop in
fected with this disease.
IF iS, L hoy Oh re
the fungus may live in the soil. but
its nature suggests that it can prob
ably live for several years.
1t is well known that secondhand
sacks, barrels, and boxes are often
used in marketing potatoes.
Seed potatoes shipped from the
Northern states to be grown in the
South are put up either in sacks or
barrels. European potatoes coming to
this country are shipped in 16S-pound
gunny sacks. In some of the West
ern states similar sacks, but holding
120 to $50 pounds, are used. These
sacks cost from y TO 16 cents each,
depending upon their quality and
whether they are new or secondhand.
Sacks of good quality can be used
many times, and this has come to be
common practice. In both New York
and Boston there are firms that act
as clearing houses for potato sacks,
buying secondhand sacks from any
one who may wish to sell them and
shipping them to potato dealers either
north or south. 1t may happen, there
fore, that sacks that have previously
contained diseased tubers coming
frem Europe or elsewhere will be used
for shipping select seed from the
North to the South.
There is considerable chance of po-
tato diseases being spread by means
of old sacks. Secondhand barrels may
also communicate these diseases. The
question arises as to how this spread
Of disease can be prevented and of
course, the solution is a simple one
by using only new sacks. But this
would increase to some extent the
cost of potatoes and bring about the
accumulation of large quantities OF old
sacks. 1t seems very likely that some
means of steriliZing old sacks could
be put into practice which would make
them fully as harmless as agents in
This could probably best be carried
out by firms dealing in sacks It
seems probable that subjecting the
sacks to steam sterilization for sew
| eral hours at pressure of Is to 20
pounds would render them free from
noxious diseases without increasing
their cost to any appreciable extent.