The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-08-01
SPRAY POTATOES
10 PREVENT LATE
BLIGHT'S ATTACK

Washington. Aug. - Potato late
blight. a. fungous disease, capable of
causing enormous destruction. has
appeared in several states from Maine
to New Jersey and West Virginia, ac-
cording to the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture. The blight oc-
CURED early this year and reports
show that 1t is more prevalent .han
usual. While in some fields the blight
is already beyond control. prompt
spraying with Bordeaux mixture will,
in most cases, still be effective, the
specialists advise. Unless potato
growers spray thoroughly with Bor-
deaux mixture, they fear that the
~. 50 potato crop that has been prom
ised will not be realized, as late
blight If uncontrolled, is capable of
reducing the national crop at the
rate of 100000 bushels per day.
Potatoes In the northern states are
just beginning to form tubers. To
produce large crop the tops must be
kept healthy till frost, as the tubers
increase in size most rapidly during
the last weeks of the season. The late
blight kills the tops and causes Inc
tubers to rot in the ground. The
bnght starts in few centers in the
field where diseased potatoes were
planted. Brown spots develop on the
leaves and q whitish mildew appears
on their under side. Frequent rains
and warm, muggy weather furnish
ideal conditions for the development
OF the blight under which the foliage
blights rapidly, the leaves hang black
ened and dead and the tubers begin
to rot. Dry and hot weather on the
other hand tends to check the pro-
gress of the blight but growers should
spray Immediately and not trust their
crops entirely to improvement in
weather conditions.
Al an effective preventive of late
blight Bordeaux mixture has proved
its value for rs years. Every grower
from Maine to Michigan and south
to Virginia is urged to spray at once
and repeatedly.
Homemade Bordeaux mixture is
best Use
Bluestone "copper" sulphate) lbs
Quicklime ...........- IDS.
Water ........ 80 gallons
Prepare the copper sulphate by
ssuspending 1t in a gunny sack just
below the surface of several gallons
OF water in a clean barrel When
the sulphate Ia dissolved, which re-
quires three or four hours. remove
4. sack and stir into the barrel
enough additional water to make ex-
actly rs gallons of the copper solu.
don
4 Prepare the lime by shaking 1t
slowly and thoroughly in clean bar
rel. strain, and add enough additional
water to make exactly 25 gallons Of
lime milk. Stir thoroughly,
POUR the two ingredients together
into another barrel. or better; directly
into the spray tank, II It will hold SO
gallons. 1t Is highly important to
stir the mixture very thoroughly and
to strain both ingredients before they
are combined, as otherwise clogging
of the spray MOBILES might result. Use
copper or bronze wire strainer of Ii
mesfes to the inch. Do not put cop
per sulphate or Bordeaux mixturs
into tin or iron vessels; use-wood or
copper containers. Mix the Bor-
dsaux as needed and apply at once.
= u never so good after it has set.
lied,
Where poisons such as arsenate OF
lead are to be combined with Bor-
deaux mixture. add the poison after
the two solutions are mixed. Then
stir well.
Those who use Bordeaux mixture
frequently and in quantity will find
It convenient to keep concentrated
stock solutions on hand, as these keep
indefinitely If the water which evap-
[ CRATES 10 replaced.
Build an elevated platfovn to hold
the barrels The night before the
day you wish to commence spraying
suspend so pounds of copper sulphate
to- dissolve. in a 50-gallon barrel OF
water. slake SO pounds of lime IN
another barrel Add water to make
SO gallons of lime milk. When Bor-
deaux mixture Is needed, stir botf
stock barrels well and take four gal
Ions from each stock barrel Dilute
the copper sulphate in one barrel By
adding enough water to make Is gal.
Ions. Dilute the lime milk in another
barrel by adding enough water t.
make rs gallons. Stir each thor
ouehly. Combine the two as In pre-
vfpus directions. Through agitation
is essential in making good Bordeaux
mixture.