The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-05-18
COPPER SPRAYS INCREASE FOOD
VALUE OF POTATOES

iCOPPER SPRAYS iNCHEASE FOOD
| VALUE OF POTATOES
| Spraying potatoes with such cop
per sprays as bordeaux, pickering
sprays, and barium water sprays
not only has the effect of CONTROL
ing the diseases for which they are
applied but, according to the United
States Department of agriculture,
through and timely spraying usually
greatly increases the yield, infiu-
ences the composition OF the tubers,
and increases their keeping qualities
in storage. For many years OBJ
servers have reported also a stimu-
lating effect Of bordeaux mixture on
even when no diseases were present,
The why and how of this effect OF
copper have been much discussed
by scientists and many experiments
made. An interesting contribution
TO this subject has lately been made
by F. G. Cook of the Bureau of
| Chemistry in Department Bulletin
has, where evidence is presented
to show that Bordeaux and other
copper sprays increased the starch
and nitrogen constituents of the
them more valuable for food and in
dustrial uses. The bulletin contains
considerable data collected from a
number of stations doing expert
mental work with copper sprays on
potatoes and should be of interest
TO the plant Psychologists and others
doing investigational work of this
nature. Results obtained in seven
States Virginia, Maine, Minnesota,
Pennsylvania, New York, Connect
cut, and New Jersey showed an
IaVara nf EQ1 nn,1ndc nf collide 80
the tubers per acre for the non
copper sprayed plants and 3,430 for
the copper sprayed plants, an aver
age increase of 32.4 per cent or
forty eight BUSHES, due apparently
to the use of copper sprays. The
result should furnish additional
support to the practice of spraying
potatoes. Those interested may
secure a copy Of this bulletin free
OF charge upon request from the
United States department of agri-
culture, Washington, d. c.
SALT AN EFFECTIVE MEANS OF
KILLING COMMON BARBERRY
| Chemicals will play an important
part this year in the eradication
campaign against the common bar
berry, which aids the spread Of
black stem rust to the wheat fields.
Where only the digging method has
been practiced it was difficult to
remove all the roots, especially in
rocky ground or around tree stumps.
Where even the smallest fragments
OF the roots were not destroyed
sprouts have sprung up the follow
Ing year. necessitating a repetition
of the work. In lawn or gardens
where a careful watch can be kept
of the places from which bushes
have been removed, digging is all
right, for in a year of two all roots
left at the first digging will have
sprouted and can be removed. To
make the eradication of the bushes
simple and sure, two chemicals have
been found by the United States de-
partment of agriculture to be effec-
tive for use in such places as pas
lures and wooded lots and along
fences where it is difficult either to
dig bushes up completely or to To-
cate the exact spots in resurvey.
or these two, common or crushed
rock salt is very satisfactory. Ten
pounds of salt piled on the crown
will kill a bush Of average size. It
should be applied to the bush as dry
salt and may be used at any season
of the year with success. The
bushes either may be left standing
or cut down. If left standing, they
are easily located and the necessity
| of retreatment more easily deter
mined. Another chemical recon-
mended for use by the department
| is sodium arsenite solution, where
it can be procured in large enough
quantities commercially. Sodium
arsenite solution is an efficient
poison which has been found to be
~. Isl h. rtx h.,.
A gallon of the stock solution, which
make about 40 or so gallons of solu-
ton when diluted with water. Two
gallons of this dilute solution pour
ed in the center of the crown at the
surface of the ground is usually suf-
! ficient to kill an average sized bush.
! 1t should be used only during the
growing season, or from about the
first of May to the last of Septem-
Der. Although sodium arsenite is
not more poisonous than most or
chard sprays, 1T should be handled
with care, as it has a corrosive &C
ton on the skin. Unless sodium ar
semitic is found to be cheaper or
more convenient, it probably will
be-best to depend on salt.
FARM CONGRESS TO MEET IN
KANSAS CITY
The seventeenth annual sessions
of the International Farm congress
will be held at Kansas City, October
| 10, II, II, according to announcement
Iof the board of governors. The Soil
Products Exposition, which is usually
held in connection with the annual
sessions, will be postponed until
1924, the opinion of the board being
that agriculture has as yet not suffi-
GENTLY recovered from the recent
depression to warrant the holding Of
the big agricultural show. Delegates
4 t,ro Of 80 ~, =