South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-11-16
WATCH FOR CASES
OF POTATO WARTS
Feared Disease is Carried by
European Shipment From
the Mining Towns.

Gardeners in all parts of the coun-
try are asked by the United States
department OF agriculture to watch
for instances Of potato wart, a dis
ease that has been discovered in
gardens in ten small mining towns
In LuZerne county eastern Penn
sylvaia. and that it is feared has
been Carried by European shipments
TO other districts. The disease may
outgrowth, beginning in the tender
tissues near the eyes and enlarging
until the entire potato may be
changed into a black and worthless
mass.
All suspicious cases should be re-
ported TO the department Of agri-
culture, Washington, D. c., or TO the
state colleges of agriculture All
diseased potatoes should be burned
and the infected ground staked off.
The extent OF the infestation in
Luzerne county has not yet been de-
termined but an active survey Of
this and other districts is now under
way. In most of these gardens It
has been observed by the owners
during the last two seasons In
many gardens IL has been severe for
three years. while in a few instances
/ IL has done considerable damage for
four years.
From European Source.
The source of the disease appears
to be a shipment of several carloads
of European potatoes Of inferior
quality. distributed in 1912 before
the passage Of the plant quarantine
act. Since that date the importation
/ Of potatoes from countries where
wart is known to exist has been
prohibited by the federal horticul-
/ turaI board, but the disease has evil
IDENTIFY become established in some
| localities.
The wart is a disease attacking
the tubers and also the stems. The
] young gals are whitish or greenish.
suggesting a caulifiower head. In
/ the present outbreak the disease
manifests itself in a very severe
I form. though in a limited area,
practically destroying the whole
/ crop in many OF the gardens af-
fected
There is little danger that the
disease will spread rapidly TO neigh
/ boring states. as the Pennsylvania
state authorities under the leader
ship of Economic Zoologist J. G.
/ Sanders. are cooperating in the sur
vey and will take the necessary re-
strictive measures to prevent infec-
tive material from moving cut of the
district Furthermore. since the in
tested towns are isolated and nom
agricultural, there is no outward
shipment of potatoes.
Feared i'm other Places.
It is feared that other shipments
of European potatoes. made prior TO
! the quaratine have carried the dis
ease to other districts. It should be
sought for espe cially in the gardens
Of industrial and mining villages.
which were the principal markets
for cheap foreign potatoes. In such
pla ces garbage is thrown into the
garden and potatoes are grown
continuously, thus favoring the
spread of wart disease.
European experience with wart
/ disease, particularly in England. in
dicates il to be a very serious trou-
BILE. The saving feature is the dis
covery that certain varieties of pO-
tatoes are immune, and only these
are now allowed TO be planted on
/ infested land.
/ No American varieties have yet
/ been found resistant. The English
sorts will be tried. though expert
ence TO date is that European pota-
toes as a class do not give good re
suits in this country.