Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1920-09-07
Potato crop In Aroostook

pOtaCO growers OF BLOW SormIuhtIOu, II
sulting in imperfect stands. The fri
week In July the director aud patholt
gist of the station and the chief of tb
Bureau OF Inspections of the State d.
partment visited the fields from whic
complaints had been received. Thes
same persons spent the first week !
August visiting potato fields In Aroot
took County and the psthologist of tn
station In order to make a oomparativ
study of fiel6 conditions extended hi
trip Into the. 'fov'uoss OF New Bruno
wick and Prince Edward Island. Th
following Is brief summary OF th
many observations made.
In two or three instances the stant
was so poor as to be an almost crop fail
ure. All of the plants were delayed II
breaking through the ground and evel
in August some plants were just appear
ing. One field in particular looked q
badly from the crop outlook as the wors
"borax" field in 1919. But other thai
the few and dwsrfed plants there was NJ
resemblance to the borax troubles of 1
year ago. Other than these very bat
stands most of the trouble, where any
existed, involved less than fifth of th,
crop, and in most fields the stand seemed
at the second visit to be about as good al
usuah Under ordinary conditions o.
planting by machinery, actual counts o.
commercial fields year after year would
show that q 80 per cent stand Is not un
common. A 95 per cent stand would be
considered as practically perfect by mos
growers.
No evidence OF injury similar to the
bofax trouble of 1919 was found. In
1919 hundreds of growers had trouble
that was alike and general and could be
directly traced to the fertilizer used. Iu
1920, although fertilizer seemed to be
| involved in some instances, there were
numerous other causes and each case had
10 be considered by itself. While there
is, particularly in the southern part OF
Aroostook County, quite reduction in
che number of plants and which must re.
suit in reduced yields there is no one
cause for the decreased stands.
Much planting was done during the
ate spring and was followed by dry, hot
weather. Shallow planting is practiced
everywhere. The dry weather and dry
soil prevented the immediate dissolving
and distribution by water of the fertil-
izer. The hot sun heated the planted
seed so that 1t was weakened. The high
price of both seed and table stock re.
suited in selling closer than was wise.
An unusual amount of "culls" was used
tor seed. In many instances the seed
cheated" before planting after being cut.
With the shortage of labor the picker
type of planters that can be handled by
one man were used more than usual.
The chance for misses due to failure of
the machine are greater with the picker
machines unless they are kept in good
repair. Also there is more risk of injury
to the seed piece. In 1920 more potash
was obtainable than in preceding years.
And instead of running from to 4
per cent potash most OF the fertilizers
carried 6 to 10 per cent. Using ton to
the acre of fertilizer carrying 8 per
cent potash means the application OF
about $50 pounds of muriate Of high
grade. And in case of low grade goods
still larger amounts of alkaline salts are
included. This means about 8 table
spoon of caustic material per plant.
None Of the types Of planters are able to
mix large quantities of fertilizer any too
we'll with the soil. Some of them, even
when handled in the best way, mix fer.
tilizer and soil but little. During the
war much OF the fertilizer carried little
or no potash, and growers became care
less in application of the goods. In the
worst field seen the grower said that he
was sure that the fertilizer tubes, that
should have been set so as to put the fer
tilizer lower In the drill than the seed
piece, were so placed that the seed and
fertilizer were dumped In together. Ex-
animation OF the planted rows showed
the seed surrounded by fertilizer.
While no one field had all of the fol-
lowing conditions, the losses In stand are
traceable to the following causes: Poor,
weak ened seed; heated seed dry weather
at and following planting; hot burning
sun, scalding the planted seed pieces
heavy application and poor mixing of
high potash content fertilizer.
On the whole, while some fields are
bad, the stand is about normal in most
fields. The tops are now covering the
ground and with enough rain to give the
needed moisture for the crop and thor
ough spraying to keep late blight In
check, the prospect for a good crop of
table stock is excellent. While spraying
is generally practicsd it is frequently
poorly done. Even when the bordeaux
mixture is properly made 1t is not al
ways applied 80 as to cover the entire
plants. The last of June and the first of
July were very wet and In many in
stances spraying was not begun as soon
as 1t should have been. In many fields
the lower leaves, which would have been
protected by early, thorough spraying,
have no copper salts on them at all and
late blight is beginning to show up. No
subsequent spraying can fully protect
these neglected leaves against the fun
gus. The tops are now covering the
ground and, particularly during cloudy
weather and at night, these lower leaves
are In dead, moist atmosphere that
forms as perfect an incubation chamber
for the late blight fungus az could be
devised. Frequent, thorough spraying
under high pressure with at least two or
better three nozzles to the row so ar
ranged as to cover not only the top but
the lower leaves are essential to com.
plete protection from the late blight
fungus.
CHAs. D. WOODS, Director.