The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1915-03-25
THE POTATO CROP
in GRAVE DANGER
POwdsy Scah Disease May Come Unless
Seed Arc Carefully Selected.

|
exercise care as to the source OF their
seed potatoes, Georgia farmers are in
danger Of losing thousands Of dollars
this year on their potato crops as
the result Of the powdery scab, the
most destructive disease known to the
irish potato.
Under no circumstances, declares
State Entomologist e. Lee Worsham,
should the Georgia farmer plant po-
tato seed this year from the infected
districts Of Maine and New York be-
cause ii has just been found impcssi-
Bile to detect the disease IN it's early
stages, and It may be introduced into
| the state through some Of the pota-
toes which have been certified to 80
good for seed ana which ere now in
Georgia, or on their way here
Especially states Mr. Woraham,
should the planter avoid the use for
seed Of any potatoes which are label
cd aFor Table Use Only, az these
are possibly injected ana at least
under suspicion.
Mr.. Worsham has just received IN
formation from the Federal HOrticul-
tural Board in washington to the ef-
feet that 1t has refused to certify
any farther seed potatoes from the
disease infected sections Of Maine and
New York, from which large supply
Of the seed potatoes used In Georgia
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 ita
early stages,
Would Mean Loss
OF Many Thousands.
Should this disease get into Georgia
potato fields, it would mean loss OF
many thousands Of dollars to the state
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
I fore shipments Of potatoes from these
areas have been permitted on Ger al
cate following careful inspection. 20
tatoes thought to be absolutely free
from the disease were certified to by
the federal agricultural board as seed
potatoes and their shipment authcTiz
ed. All potatoes under any suspicion
whatsoever were certified to only rs
table stock potatoes and not suitable
for planting.
All interstate shipments OF potatoes
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, 1915
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
Their 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 certifcation Of potatoes as q
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 q Chance.
Hundreds Of Georgia farmers have
been in the habit Of getting their POI
tato seed from Maine and New York
because Of the heretofore good quality
of the seed. But. under the circum-
stances, Mr. Worsham says, 1t is bet
ter for them to use any seed they can
get than to run the danger of introduce
ing the powdery scab disease, the e.
feet Of which viii be practically to
destroy the potato industry II what
ever section Of the state r 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,