El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-02-16

y
port on the condition Of Chihua-
hua potatoes by o. A Pratt
scientific assistant to the Federal hor-
tcultural board Of the Z. S. department
Of agriculture, the world quarantine
which went into effect on January Is
in every port Of the United States
against foreign potatoes, has been mod
flied so as to admit potatoes from the
state Of Chihuahua, Mexico under GER
tain regulations.
The provision Of the law which re-
Quires that before potatoes may be re-
ceived from a foreign country they
shall be inspected by an inspector Of
that country and have his assurance
that the shipment not only is free
from disease, but that the potatoes
were raised in a soil that was free
from disease, has also been waived in
regard to Chihuahua, on account of the
unsettled condition Of the country.
Mr.. Pratt found upon his investiga-
ton Of the potato conditions throuEb
Chihuahua that the Mexican potatoes
nave no diseases that American pota-
toes DO not already have and these
potatoes viii be admitted to the United
oLaLes after inspection on this side
providing, Of course, there is only a
small percent of diseased potatoes in
a shipment
R. A. Harris Local Inspector.
r. A Harris, former park commits
sloner, has been appointed local potato
inspector and viii examine every ship
nent OF potatoes that is imported from
CI M. through this port
Inc regulations regarding the impor-
tation Of chihuahua potatoes which
nave been made out by Beverly T Gal
4OWay, acting secretary of agriculture
provide that the invoice of each ship
ment of potatoes shall be accompanied
by an affidavit of the simmer that the
potatoes were grown within the state
OF Chihuahua, and also that no ship
nenI CT potatoes shall be permitted
entry until 1t has been examined bv an
inspector of the Z. s. department of
agriculture and found to be free from
dangerous potato diseases and insect /
pests, and that all charges for storage, !
carriage and labor. incident to the in
spectiOn, other than the work of the !
inspector. shall be paid by the i'm
porter. Mr. Harris viii begin his du-
ties Immediately.
Germs Attack Potatoes.
Although people not interested in
horticulture or agriculture may not re-
allze it." said Nj Pratt all plants
have their diseases the same as an
finals. OF all vegetables, the potato
is most susceptible to disease germs. b.
It furnishes the ideal ground for the
spread Of these germs.
In fact the potato furnishes such
cOngenlal surroundings for germs that
cooked potatoes are used in the gov /
eminent laboratories for the culture of
germs for experimental purposes.
Although the potato may be in
fected with disease it does not trans
init any of its diseases to the human
being who eats it. The danger of
diseases among potatoes is. one of pure
" economic value from the point Of
view OF the farmer and produce
han
flesh OF the potato, reduce the size of
the tuber, and also of the crop yield,
cause decay OF the tubers in the field
and also in storage, injurying shipping
properties of the potato. The diseases
are many and varied. There is a
little potato" disease, which causes
the plant to produce tiny tubers unfit
for use. The wilt diseases cause the
plants to wilt down in the field, re-
tarding the growth of the tubers, and
often killing the entire crop. There
Is disease which produces aerial pO-
tatOes, in which small tubers grow on
the vines instead of in the ground.
The dry rot and other diseases also
ruin the crops
World Quarantine Necessary.
"As the potato is so important an
arucle Of food in this country" con- /
t1nued Mr.. Pratt, lit is easily seen !
how important it is to stamp out these
diseases Of which we already have too
large a number. European potato /
LetlSlL4E countries are dLLllCLGQ Win
two malignant diseases, the powdery I
scab and the wart disease, which so
far, fortunately, have not been found /
among American grown potatoes Con-
sequentIy the world quarantine against
potatoes was established by the de-
partment of agriculture to prevent any !
further diseases from injecting the pO-
tatO crops, while trying to eradicate
the diseases already in existence.
Potatoes imported from other coun-
tries could affect our own crop in sew
eral ways" said Mr.. Pratt. "The seed
consideration is perhaps the first one.
OF a large shipment of potatoes there
IS no way of telling when in some re-
mote section of the country some part
of the shipment might be purchased
for seed. Then there is the fact of the
peelings and refuse Of the potato go
ing Invariably back to the soil. This
might not occur in cities, but in rural t
communities it is almost sure to hap
pen. The malignancy of the potato
disease lies in the fact that once the