The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-05-13
Il !
SERIOUS MENACE
TO POTATO A CROP
fAs
49, "
Preventable Diseases Have
Reduced County Yield
/ . 80 Per Cent ss
DISEASE FREE
SEED IS DESIRED
County Agent w. P. Frost Trying to
Aid Farmers-Wants List of Those
Who Will Plant Acre, to Be Inspected
in Fall by Expert.

According to County Agricultural Agent
Wayland p. Frost potato production in
Windham county has been cut to an
alarming degree in the past three years
by the spread of preventabe diseases
which, while not prevented by seed treat
ment, may be controlled to some degree
by the. careful selection OF seed.
While no figures are available showing
the exact percentage of the reduction in
yield, estimates of various growers place
it at 81 per cent at least, and it is gen
orally kaoWn among the farmers that pol
tato diseases are the most common com
nuHIty problem i'll the county this spring
The diseases are such, however, that they
can be combated successfully either byl
seed treatment or by the selection of seed
| from diseasefree plants.
1t IS the purpose of County Agent Frost
TO aid the farmers in securing disease
| free seed for this springs planting. and
he said today that he knew where he
could obtain from 80 to - bushels Of such
seed, but that he could use much more ii
| he could obtain it, From one grower III
the southwest section Of the county he
secured 10 bushels of certified seed the
last of the week, and this lot will be used
on a farm III Putney.
! The county agent also Is endeavoring to
secure list of farmers who will plant am
n acre of potatoes to be inspected early in
the fall by an expert to ascertain whether
seed from such plats should be used the
following spring. The present plan is to
secure list large enough to require the
services OF an expert for two weeks ii
this county.
Most Important of the potato diseases
which are carried in the seed but do not
respond to seed treatment are leaf-roll,
mosaic and wilt, while scab aud rhizoc-
ionia do respond to such treatment \
description OF these diseases. together
with a formula fer the treatment of scab
and rhiz6etouia viii be found in the fol
lowing paragraphs:
The. leaf-roll is, indicated by the upward
rolling al THE margins of the lower leaves
OF the plant. The rolled leaves are thick
or and sitter to the touch than normal
and ,thelre tips, IN most, cases become light
4 Ter. n color. Leaf-roll plants tend to 81
mailer than healthy plants and generally
\ have yellowisb green color. In certain
\ varieties the stems Of infected plants arc
1 more rigid than normal, So that the leave.
/ stand up stItfly and the plants present
staring appearance. The average weld o
|. leaf-roll plants IS about one-third that O
/ healthy plants No evidence Of the dis
case Is fdhad on the tuber, though tuber
OF diseased plants produce diseased plant
( the next year. While the cause OF leaf
roll is undetermined. it is known tina
= the disease spreads from diseased t,
: healthy plants ii the field.
Mosaic, which is becoming common. i
especially bad in the Green Mountain
g group. 1t rarely occurs in the Rura
4 group. The leaves OF an affected plan
Is are more or less crinked and mottle,
i with irregularly distributed yellowisl
v areas. IA bad cases the leaves are distoIt
ed and the margins are uneven Mosai
= plants are smaller than normal, except i
mild cases. and the yield is reduced fror
10 to SO per cent.
Mosaic symptoms may first be detects
when the plants are from four to seve
weeks old. Toward maturity the MOI
ting losses its distmctness, but the crinl
,e led appearance Of the more severely a
feeted plants is retained aud the dseay
;, NAV stilf be determined. although som
= difficulty may be experienced
The latest enemy of the potato grove
IS the wilt disease The yellowing of
m potato plant III the latter part of the Sc;
be son is characteristic of wilt 1t is due
yf the growth of the wilt fungus within Il
es water conducting tissues of both ste1
ne and tuber II Il cut is made across II
stem Of 8 diseased plant brown spots vi
= be found near the outer edge Of the sten
Likewise. il a cut is made across the ste
end of diseased tuber ring of brow
tissue is fpund about one-fourth of a
inch from the outer edge of the tube