Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-12-08

derry scab. We are exceedingly thank
full that, from the standpoint Of the
country as a whole, it is a much less
serious trouble than we were led to
believe at first Even though the les
SON in some instances has been an ex-
pensive one, the powdery scab agita-
ton has served a most useful purpose,
For 1t has set people to thinking and
to observing. Now they are seeing
things and appreciating things on
their own farms which previously they
thought existed only in the imagina-
ton of certain impracticable, scientific
men who were casting about for some
good excuse for drawing salary.
"Powdery scab is now known to &C.
cur in Aroostook, Penobscot and
Washington counties in Maine, but is
almost exclusively confined to the for
mer. In New York it is only in Clin-
ton and Franklin, the two most north
ern counties. In Minnesota 1t is con-
fined to the three most northeastern
counties, ST. Louis, Carleton and Lake,
either on or near Lake Superior. In
Washington 1t is restricted to Snoh-
mish county, in the northwestern
part on Puget Sound. In Oregon
again the two northeastern counties,
Claton and Tillamock. are the only
ones found affected.
1T will be noted that in each state
where 1t is now known to occur the
disease is confined to those parts
which have relatively cool summers
and an abundant rainfall. An extern
sive series of experimenting conducted
! by the federal Psychologists of II differ
ent eastern states from Massachusetts
to Florida have shown quite con-
clusively that powdery scab will not
develop under the climatic conditions
which exist there. Moreover. be-
lieve that in Maine we have little to
fear of it's spreading to such an extent
as to do any material damage outside
of the present known area of distribu-
| ton. / believe central and southern
Maine have little to fear from it, and
that planting tubers affected with
powdery scab, in this region. would re-
suit in a clean crop unless the grow
ing season should be abnormally and
continuously cool and wet.
| Even in Aroostook county it's pres
ence is markedly Influenced by sea-
sonal climatic conditions. This year
the rainfall therewas not excessive and
they had some periods of. very hot
weather. AS a result we had difficulty
in getting enough infected tubers in
Caribou and Pressure Isle to carry on
our field tests for the coming year, yet
few years ago you would get them
by the carload in number OF differ
ent towns.
Even in Northern Maine powdery
scab is restricted to the wet, poorly
drained soils of a definite type. and is
seldom Of much account on the best
potato land.
None of this alters the fact that
powdery scab is a very Objectionable
disease where it does occur. and may
produce considerable damage. Disin-
fecting the seed with formaldehyde or
corrosive sublimate and applying sui
phur to the soil in considerable
quantity each tend to reduce the
amount of powdery scab in the crop,
when infected tubers are planted. To
avoid the Introduction of the disease,
our experimental work has shown
that the only safe method to follow is
to use only healthy seed tubers and
! then disinfect these before planting.
When powdery scab occurs, land once
contaminated may harbor the germs of
| the disease for an undetermined peri.
! 3D." --