The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1915-12-14
Prevalence Of Disease in Stored
Crops.
RANCHERS URGED TO FIGHT DIS
EASE AND HOLD REPUTATION
Agriculturist Birch Visits Many Gel
lars ON Tract and Finds Some
Danger.


desires to call the attention of Twin
Falls County Potato Growers to the
prevalence of potato diseases in the
county Mr.. Birch has visited over
fifty cellars distributed from Hansen
to Buhl and Castleford. In every cell
lar visited he has found both Fusari-
um Wilt and Rhizoctonia and in a
few instances Scab has been observed.
These diseases are real menace
to the potato industry OF Twin Falls
County, and unless checked are prac-
tically certain to destroy the business
in this locality, as they have destroy
ed it in other potato growing dis
tricts
If the matter is taken up promptly
and every grower co-operates by re-
fusing to plant diseased seed, or to
plant seed in infected, ground; there
is no apparent reason why these dis
neglected the potato growing indus
Try faces almost certain destruction.
Already the yield Is being cut down,
and unless preventive measures are
taken the time is not far distant when
owing to the fact that so many OF our
potatoes are diseased, we will have
.AAO A44aA ACA3 AOA CVOA I4AC lew AOO0 OACo
we do produce The reputation Of
diseased tuber plant carries the dis
: ease into the soil where 1t will live
for several years to infect subse-
ing all upon which you can find any
trace, of scab or rhiZoctonia; then
treat the seed as follows to destroy
sayAN Nx< <>Rx Is ~-ht 81 hot
may have escaped observation. Treat
ment will kill small specks of this
disease but 1t ID not effective for the
larger groups or colonies
= Soak all seed. potatoes before cut
ting In solution of four ounces of
corrosive sublimate in thirty gallons
OF water, for one and one-half hours.
This should be. put in a wooden or
afo4eware container;r not metal. This
Is q deadly poison and care must be
exercised that treated potatoessare not
eaten. by stock. The solution will not
hurt the hands. Store treated po-
tat0e9 In new sacks to avoid infection,
for the old sacks4carry the disease.
If you have no new sacks In which
to place seed after treatment, soak
the old sacks in the same solution In
which the potatoes are treated, and
for the same time or longer. Care
shopM be takeA that the sack does
not Cast on top Of the solution, but Is
fully covered.
When cutting seed potatoes, first
cut q thin slice from the stem end
df each tNber. II Fusarium Wilt is
discovered, destroy the tuber. The
following descriptions will enable
growers I'd recognize Fpsarium Wilt
and Rhiaoctonia. and scab is too well
known to need description:
FaasArium Wilt This is the most
serious disease We have to deal with.
The more 30 because the disease does
NOT show on the outside Of potatoes
When potato affected with this dis
ease is planted, the fungus grows up
the water tubes in the stems which
carry water to the leaves, with the re-
suit that the flow Of water from the
roots to the leaves is stopped The
leaves wilt, hence the name wilt. or
Fusarium Wilt
Rhizoctonia-This disease causes
the stems Of potatoes turn brown un-
derneath the ground. and kills the
acts" or young potatoes. Very few
potatoes can form In an affected hill
and the yield 10 greatly cut down.
Injected tubers are covered with
what look like specks Of dirt, singly
or Ia groups. which cannot be rub
bed OF. When moistened these specks
turn black.
e any grower wants further infor-
nation the County Agricultural will
be glad 70 furnish It. Call at the Of
fce In the. Court House at Twin
FAlls. Or write BOX 81.