The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1914-03-02
BULLETIN URGES.
POTATO PROTECTION
Department Of Agriculture Booklet
Describes Certain Dangerous Dis.
eases And Recommends Measures
ADVISES SEED f. SELECTION
Suggests That More Vigorous Aneri-
can 'Varities Be Developed By
Breeding-Tells of Conditions

More general and concerted efforts
on the part CT potato growers are
needed to combat certain diseases
which threaten to impair the uigo1
of the seed stock and to cause the de.
terioratiOn of varieties, according tic
the U. S. Department of Agricd!-
lures Investigator. To open the
way for more efficient measures of
control for potato diseases that have
not always been definitely under
stood new bulletin is now issued
entitled "Potato Wilt, Leaf-RoH, and
Related Diseases" 1t can he had free
on application to the U. S. Depart
ment of Agriculture, Washington, D.
C.
The group of potato diseases treat
ed i'm the new bulletin now raises a
problem Of increasing Importance to
practical agriculture in different
countries throughout the world
Environment has 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 in
stance where disease is present. The
Bulletin wishes particularly to en-
phasize the fact that the same sys-
tenn Of seed selection and crop ro-
tation that will free the potato fields
of wilt, leaf-roll and curly-dwarf,
will not only bring under control
blackleg and some other diseases,
but will insure the maintenance Of
the strains cultivated in their most
vigorous condition and free from OBJ
pectionable mixtures with other var
ieties.
Losses from the late blight and rot
occur mainly in the northern States
This causes particularly heavy los
ses during cool and humid seasons.
In the States east OF the MISSISSIPPI
and north of the Ohio JIrls uIsease is
particularly common. 1t is now sue
cessfully combatted by spraying with
Bordeaux mixture. 1t is also hoped
that more disease-resistant varieties
will soon aid in controlling this
blight.
TO the south early blight and tip
burn play a greater roll 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 tip
burn is as common as here, where
high summer temperatures combine
with the injuries of flea beetles ano
other insects to cause excessive
TRANSPORTATION and it's consequent
marginal burning of the leaves
Here also the logical line of attach
seems to be the production of varle
ties possessing heat resistance.
With the progress of studies O
this problem other potato disease
have been recognized in the Unitev
States. Some of these, like tn
brown-rot. had doubtless been lonI
prevalent, while others, like tn
blackleg, appear to have been recent
ly introduced from Europe.
A new group of diseases came int
prominence about ten ears ago whic
had not hitherto been recognized a
of economic Importance. Soon attic
there occurred in Europe an ou'
break of a disease known as lea
roll" This affliction caused heaV
losses i'm Germany and Austria an
elsewhere, though it has not been
generally destructive as was feare
Whether it is the same as an Amer
can disease lis still a subject OF co
troversy. One Of the main obJec
of the Investigators Of potato al
eases in the Department OF Agrlcr
ture is to distin guish between Anne
lean and European troubles, so tn
if the disease originally occurs
this country it may he controlle
and if it originates in Europe 1t M
ne kept out by quarantine.
The Departments new bullet
contains numerous illustrations
new diseasds that are to be fear
by potato growers. If growers
realize more clearly the danger
the insidious losses suffered
cause of seldom-recognized diseas
and from diseases transmit
through the seed, they will be mt
eager to join general campai
against these troubles. The final
suit will be to place the potato ind
trv on a higher plan than it oc
pies today.
The types of disease distinguish
40 of some Importance in the Uni
States and Especially treated In
new bulletin are the following:
Fusarium Wilt-A disease ch
acterized by the willing OF the pis
Widespread in America, but not
identified from Europe.
Verticillium Wilt-A. wilt res
bling the foregoining, often m