The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-03-10
WATCH OUT FOR THE
NEW POTATO DISEASE
Wart- Discovered In Pennsylvania,
May Break Out E5sewcher, De-
pnrtment OF Agriculture Fears.

Wart, Discovered In Pennsylvania,
May Break Out E5sewcher, De-
pnrtment or Agriculture Fears.
Washington. y. c., March 9.--Wart,
one OF the most dangerous diseases
of POTATOES which has made It's APP
I pearancc In the United states. exists
err Up a, u,sit@d -aeGjiou, q Pennsyi-
vanilla. according 10 tns rHrest. rrntfrna-
ton obtained by the United States de-
partment of agriculture. The infested
territory embraces twenty seven COM
paratively small mining towns. But
experts Of the department have given
! warning that the infestation may have
reached other sections in the same
way that II reached the Pennsylvania
mining towns, and vigilance Is urged
to discover and report it. II 1t does
exist elsewhere, as we'll as TO guard
against q possible spread II inresta-
ton.
The wart disease rs thought to
have been brought to Pennsylvania in
1919 in potatoes imported from Eu-
rope. Tho potato crop in the United
States was short that year. and Eu-
ropean potatoes are known to have
gone to Pennsylvania and other places
over the country where there was
, demand for a cheap supply. The dis
covery of tho disease in Pennsylvania
was made only last year and there Ia
possibility that it may be present
but not yet recognized in other places.
Some OF the Pennsylvania miners
made paintings OF the imported pota-
toes In their gardens, the coil became
infested and the disease is now
| thoroughly established In them. 1t
Will be very difficult TO eradicate ex-
cept by ceasing to plant potatoes in
these gardens for several years. The
infected region in isolated and remote
from agricultural sections. Both the
Pennsylvania authorities and the
United States department of agricul-
ture have taken energetic steps to
stamp out the infestation. and there
is thought to be little danger OF any
spread Of the disease from that Soc
ton. II infestations have not occurred
elsewhere. II Is thought that the dis
ease will be stamped out without
further spread Potato growers,
potato buyers, market inspectors and
county agents are urged. however. to
be on the lookout for it In all parts OF
the country.
Wart disease &. caused by a paras!-
tic fungus and manifests itself by
warty outgrowths on the underground
portions OF the plant. TIE wart vary
in size. and sometimes the entire tuber
is converted into spungy. warty
mass. Many OF the warted potatoes
rot IN the ground. but II the warts
are small ana the season favorable.
the diseased Tissues may drv down and
The tubers keep through the winter.
Dmage. resulting from wart varies.
but II is always severe and In some
cases no edible potatoes at all can
be grown. This was true in many Of
the Pennsy wanna gardens last year.
The fungus Is carried over from year
to year not only in the potato but in
| the soil. IL the same ground Is plant
ed to potatoes year after year, the
infestation becomes so severe that the
growing Of potatoes Is rendered i'm
possible. Where longtime rotation
Is practiced. comparatively little dam
ago is done.
| Once the fungue Is established In the
soil. there La no means OF eradicating
of potatoes on the infested ground
and It Ia known to be able to retain
it's vitality through a period or at
| least eight years.
| Potatoes can be successfully grown
on badly infested soil onlv by the
use Of resistant varieties While
/ nothing has been done in this country
| toward the development OF such vnrie-
| ties. some of the European countries
! which have been ravaxed by the dis
ease were forced to undertake il sew
aral years ago. 4 considerable meas
ure OF success has been attained. the
English and Scotch authorities goins
/ so far rs to refer to some of their
/ varieties as immune. The English
government last year contracted for
the growing OF 1000 acres of i'm
mune" potatoes in Scotland, the seed
from which will be available this
spring.
| Potato experts of the department,
OF agriculture. however. are hopeful
that II w.li not be necessary to reser:
TO the use of resistant varieties In this
country. 1t Is not likely that they
would be 80 productive as the varie-
| ties adapted and bred up to meet
! American conditions II Is regarded
as probable that some Of the standard
varieties in this country would show
resistant traits, but considerable time
and effort would be necessary to de-
| termIne this point
| II the disease Is discovered the
warts and warty potatoes should be
collected and destroyed. Diseased
tubers should not be ted to stock
without first being boiled. Soil known
to be infested should be planted to
| other crops for at least eight years
No hope is held out for controlling the
disease by treating infected soil with
chemicals Such attempts IN other
countries have not been successful.
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