Americus times-recorder., 1915-03-11


is secured. This action was taken
on account of the discovery just made
that it is practically impossible to de-
tect the powdery scab disease in its
early stages.
Would Mean Loss
OF Many Thousands.
Should this disease get into Georgia
potato fields, it would mean loss of
through the destruction of crops. It
would also prevent any shipments Of
potatoes from infected sections being
made to other states.
Since January, 1914, there has been
established a quarantine against the
infected areas in Maine and New
York The principal infected area in
Maine is Aroostook county. Hereto
fore shipments of potatoes from these
areas have been permitted on certif-
cate following careful inspection. Po-
tatoes thought to be absolutely free
from the disease were certified to by
the federal agricultural board as seed
potatoes and their shipment authoriz-
ed. All potatoes under any suspicion
whatsoever were certified to only as
table stock potatoes and not suitable
for planting.
iptorctoto cbiDnnapfc 0f
are controlled by the Federal Horti-
cultural Board Of Washington, and this
board has now reached the conclusion
that it is dangerous to plant any po-
tatoes from the infected districts, ow-
ing to the difficulty of detecting the
disease in its early stages. This in
formation was conveyed to State En-
tomologist Worsham in the following
telegram
Washington, D. c., March 4, 1916
E. L. Worsham, State Entomologist,
Atlanta, Ga: The rapid spread Of
powdery scab disease in Aroostook
county, Maine, and the difficulty which
has developed in detecting by any
practicable inspection the presence Of
slight infection with this disease has
led the department to discontinue fur
ther certification Of seed stock from
the infected districts in Maine and
New York. Public should be warned
that all seed potatoes hitherto shipped
from infected districts in Maine and
New York may contain powdery scab
whether certified or not The only
federal certification Of potatoes as a
condition of interstate movement
from the infected districts hereafter
will be as table stock potatoes, G. L.
Marlatt, Chairman Federal Horticul-
tural Board"
Would Be Dangerous
To Take Chance.
Hundreds of Georgia farmers have
been in the habit Of getting their po-
tato seed from Maine and New York
because Of the heretofore good quality
Of the seed. But, under the circum-
stances, Mr.. Worsham says, it Is bet
ter for them to use any seed they can
get than to run the danger of introduc-
ing the powdery scab disease, the ef-
feet of which will be practically to
destroy the potato industry in what
ever section of the state 1t became
prevalent
Under the horticultural boards de-
cision it will be dangerous now even
to use the potatoes which it has al
ready certified for seed, because there
is no way OF telling whether or not
they are diseased. The certified seed
potatoes shipped from the infected dis
tricts bear white inspection tags,
while potatoes from infected districts
for table use only have yellow tags,
and table potatoes from supposedly
non-infected districts have blue tags.
The powdery scab is a fungus dis
ease which forms under the skin of
the potato and makes blister-like sec
tions upon it. 1t is the most serious
disease known to the potato, destroy.
ing it in large quantities. 1t was
probably brought into this country
from Europe or Canada.