Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1917-03-16
POTATO MEN MEET
LADYSMITH POTATO GROWERS
ASSOCIATION HOLDS AN
NUAL MEETING
MUCH INTEREST is MANIFESTED
Methods which Will Insure Best Re-
suits in Raising "Spuds"
Are Explained

In spite Of a snow-storm which
prevailed all day Tuesday, there was
good attendance at the annual
meeting of the Ladysmlth Potato
Growers Association held in the
county training school building in the
afternoon. And the attendance was
not confined to the growers in the
vicinity of Ladysmith. Farmers were
present from the vicinity of Glen
Flora and Conrath, as we'll.
1t was evident at the outset that
a lively interest was to be manifested
in the proceedings, and that all
present were there for the particular
purpose of learning more about the
ways to produce in greater quantity
and better quality the heretofore low
ly and humble 'spud,' now possibly,
at the pinnacle of it's value and I'M
portance in the commercial world,
and this meeting recognized the ef-
forts put forth by the representatives
of our state agricultural college, our
county agricultural representatives,
and the leaders of our state potato
growers organizations to better the
| farmers condition by enabling him
to produce more and better potatoes
at better price than has hereto
| fore prevailed under a haphazard
method of selecting, growing and
| marketing this great crop.
A year ago, when this association
was organized, it was decided to
grow only the Rural New Yorker and
the Green Mountain varieties for
market potato, and Judging from the
discussion that ensued, the decision
was a wise one and the members
are satisfied. Charts were displayed
on the walls of the room, illustrating
| the typical shapes of these two stand
ard varieties, and showing how the
seed should be treated and cut be-
fore planting.
| Prof. Milward, a leading authority
of the country on potato growing,
was present, and he explained that
the old formalin method of treating
seed to prevent scab, scurf and other
skin diseases of potatoes, was not as
efficacious as was desired, and told
| of a later and better way, the use
| of corrosive sublimate, to kill the
germs, which are likely to lnfest the
seed and to prevent attack from the
same enemy, which is hidden in the
soil. To thirty gallons of water, he
said. should be added four ounces
of corrosive sublimate dissolved in
gallon of water and in this bath,
should be immersed for the period
of an hour and a half the seed pO-
tatoes before they are cut for plant
ing, and they should be thoroughly
rinsed off after being taken from the
receptacle containing the fluid, SO
that no danger to the sprouts Or
eyes would enSue. He warned the
growers that the drug Is deadly
poison and that it and the treated
seed should not, be left where any
animal might eat it.
Many questions were asked, and
among other things Mr.. MilWard re-
piled, in regard to cutting seed, that
care should be taken to have fleshy,
chunky pieces with one or two strong
eyes to each piece. He commented
favorably on the scheme of the wife
of farmer who was present, of saw
ing the "seed end" of potatoes that
were used on the family table after
wrapping each piece in paper so that
it would keep we'll for planting.
The meeting room had been dark
ened and lantern had been placed
to project on a screen pictures 1llu-
strating the various phases of the
potato growing industry, as we'll as
scenes of interesting features of the
big state potato show held at Eau
Claire last November. County Rep
resentative Householder operated the
picture machine while Mr.. MllWard
explained in more or less detail the
advantages of this and that method
of preparing the ground, planting,
cultivating, spraying and handling
the crop after digging. He said that
Paris green is still relied upon as
the chief material with which to COM
bat that worst enemy of the potato
the Colorado beetle, or ''potato
bug" as it is commonly called. The