The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1917-06-01
POTATOCROP MUST
Be PROTECTED
SPRAYING FOR, THE HARMFUL
INSECTS AND DISEASES
RECOMMENDED.
is INEXPENSIVE INSURANCE
County Demonstration Agents Should
Be Consulted In Preparing Mixtures

College Park, May 24.-Since many
Maryland farmers are responding to
tle call for more food by planting large
fields of Irish potatoes, it is most i'm
portant that protection against in
sects and diseases be insured. In in
st.uctions furnished to the members
of the boys agricultural clubs who are
growing potatoes, S. B. Shaw, spe-
cialist in horticulture for the Mary
land Agricultural Extension Service,
urges them to protect their crops
against disease and insect attack He
says:
1.-THE careful selection of healthy
seed potatoes will aid materially in
the control of diseases, but spraying
is necessary as a preventive measure.
This is particularly true in regard to
the control of Late Blight, which so Sc
riously affects not only the plants, but
also the tubers. Since this disease
develops rapidly, under favorable
weather conditions, it is advisable to
begin spraying before it begins to ap-
pear. The lower leaves of the plants
are first infected and from them the
disease gradually spreads over the
foliage until the tops are killed.
Preventing Late Blight.
- "a combination of copper sulphate
(blue stone), stone lime and water,
commonly called Bordeaux Mixture,
can best be used in spraying potato
plants for the prevention of disease.
Use in the proportions of four pounds
of copper sulphate, four pounds OF
lime and fifty gallons of water. To dis
solve the copper sulphate, place the
crystals in a cloth sack and suspend
it in wooden or earthen vessel filed
with water The crystals will not
dissolve quickly if put in the bottom
of the vessel. Stake the lime and add
enough water to equal the blue stone
solution.
"a convenient way to prepare Bor-
deaux Mixture III small quantities is
to dissolve the four pounds of blue
stone in five gallons of water. Stake
the four pounds of lime and add an
equal amount of water. When ready
to apply the material take one gallon
of the blue stone solution and one
gallon of the lime solution and strain
them together into convenient vessel
holding at least ten gallons. Add to
this combination eight gallons of wa
5 ter, thus making ten gallons of spray
solution This amount should be
enough for one-tenth Of an acre.
Killing Potato Bugs
1.-THE Colorado potato beetle and the
flea beetle are perhaps the most in
furious insects affecting the potato
crop. These beetles appear when the
plants are quite small and unless
proper means are taken for their con-
troll, they entirely destroy the foliage
of the young, tender plants. For
tunately for the potato grower, both
insects and disease may be controlled
by a combination spray. This is made
by adding Arsenate of Lead to the
4 Bordeaux Mixture. Use this mate
rial at the rate of one and one-half
Epounds of Arsenate of Lead Powder
y(cr three pounds of Arsenate of Lead
& Il Paste to the fifty gallons of Bordeaux,
n This would be about five ounces of the
powder or ten ounces of the paste to
ten gallons of solution On account of
'Lrusual war conditions it may be hard
to secure copper sulphate at rea,
sonable price Several Bordeaux Ar.
senate spray compounds are being
manufactured by different firms under
various trade names. These prepare
tons can be used to good advantage
in spraying potatoes. 1t is suggested
that the County Demonstration Agents
be consulted in regard to securing
and applying spray materials not only
FOR nota toes hut for other fruit and
vegetable crops. They can give val
liable information that may save
money for the grower and be a means
for securing larger yields"