The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1915-04-23
SPUD INDUSTRY IS MfNACtD
University and Railway Authorities Di-
rect Attention to Conditions.


Unless prompt preventative meas
ures are taken the potato industry of
Idaho will meet the same fate as
was encountered by that of Greeley,
Colo. is the opinion of officials of the
Oregon Short Line. Production in
Greeley was almost stopped by potato
diseases.
The railroad company wants to save
the potato industry. 1t has therefore
taken the question up with the Uni
versity of Idaho and has obtained in
formation as to how the tuber dis
eases may be combatted. The infor
nation has been prepared in the form
of a bulletin and the company plans
to disseminate the bulletins broadcast
throughout the potato producing sec
| tions.
They will be posted in every Oregon
Short Line station, in every village
store whore farmers trade, and sent
through the mails to every producer
the company can reach.
The bulletin is as follows:
DO you grow potatoes? DO you
eat potatoes? Help fight potato dis
| Helm save Idaho's big industry.
!
to industry is threatened Our yields
ere being cut down. Our potato
| industry can be made perma-
nent. Our potato Yields can he main
tanned Our reputation can be sus-
tanned and extended. Every grower
should take steps to protect himself
end his neighbors. Help fight these
diseases by taking steps to save your
crop. Plant only clean, treated seed.
Profit by the experience of other po-
tato growing sections. Help to get
hold of the situation before It is too
late.
These potato diseases are diseases
transmitted by the use of unsound
seed potatoes.
| SCAB-~This disease is so well
known that it need not be described
However, too few growers use meth
DDS of control The best methods of
control are to plant only treated,
clean seed, on clean ground. The
spores of the disease may be in the
ground where potatoes have been
grown, Clean seed will then become
infected. Plant no scabby potatoes.
Treat all seed to kill the spores of
scab which may adhere to the seed.
FUSARIUM WILT This is the
most serious potato disease we
have to deal with because it may
not show itself on the outside
of seed potatoes. When potato
affected with this disease is plant
ed, the fungus grows up the wa
ter tubes in the stems, which carry
water to the leaves, with the result
that the flow of water from the roots
TO the leaves its stopped and the leaves
wilt: hence the name of potato, or flu
sarium wilt.
When a potato affected with this
disease is cut at the stem and, char
acteristic, brown streakS, which form
an irregular ring will be seen This
may turn dark as the potato remains
in storage and may spread to the en-
tire tuber. ---- --,-..r a---.r.. .,..r.
All seed potatoes should be exam
ined for this disease by cutting thin
slices from the stem end. Potatoes
showing this disease should never be
planted. Infected potatoes carry the
disease to clean ground where it may
live, for several years to infect other
potatoes.
All seed should be treated as di-
rected not because this will kill the
disease which is in a potato but be-
cause it will kill the spores of the dis
ease which may adhere to the outside
of the potato. Thus infection of clean
ground may be prevented. This is
the disease that should give us great
est concern. 1t is the one most diff
cult to control Clean seed on clean
ground is the only sure remedy.
RHIZOCTONIA - This disease
causes the stems of potato plants to
turn brown pust underneath the
ground, and kills the "sets" or young
potatoes. Very few potatoes can
form in an affected hill, so the yield
is greatly cut down
Affected tubers are covered with
what look like specks of dirt, singly
and in groups. These cannot easily
be rubbed off and when moistened
turn black.
Treatment will kill small specks OF
this disease, but is not effective for
the groups or colonies. 1t is best
therefore, to plant no seed which
shows the disease. Infected potatoes
will infect the soil when planted, and
the disease will live in the soil fol-
three or four years. Rotate your
crops. Do not plant potatoes on the
same ground several years in success
sion Take all precautions to prevent
your ground from becoming infected
Prevention through sanitation is our
only hope To insure clean, sound
seed you should grow your own seed
potatoes in a special seed plot. II
will pay you and your community.
The latest, best and most success
full treatment is the corrosive subli-
mate treatment. A poison solution
four ounces corrosive sublimate Obi
chloride of mercury to 80 gallons OF
water. Mix in a barrel or stone jar
not in metal. Soak uncut seed for "
hours. Make new solution after treat
ing four lots of seed. Treated pota-
toes are poisonous. Do not use for
stock or human food. Do not allow
stock or poultry access to solution
Put treated potatoes in new or treat
ed sacks. Treat seed-be careful.
Treat all seed potatoes as recon-
mended Plant only or clean ground
Though the seed may be clean. the
soil may infect the potatoes. Rota-
/ ton of crops is the best insurance