Milford chronicle., 1923-03-02
POTATO GROWERS RELIEVED OF
ANOTHER MENACE
Nntil Recently Very Little Could Be
Done in Economically Controlling
or Eradicating Soil Insects
and Soil Plant Diseases.


r diseases are continually a menace Il
: the farmer, on both his CROPS and hi.
I stock. Every year one learns of ;
D new disease or insect pest, and lust as
regularly, within a comparatiVelN
short time after, we hear that some
1 Federal or State Official has found 2
method which will entirely eliminate
the disease or pest. At least he will
so place 1t under control that il
ceases to be a menace which is like
ly to destroy the particular crop, OF
set OF crops, or stock, which the far
mer is growing.
Occasionally a disease or insect
, pest is encountered which is more
stubborn than the rest, and some
times it is years before our friends
are able to devise a means TO subdue
them; but sooner or later a practical
control is usually found.
Many times these diseases increase
and develop slowly but surely. They
are often unnoticed, some times not
considered as Of a great deal of i'm
portance until suddenly they almost
destroy the industry of growing crops
In particular locality. At other
times these diseases and pests make
their appearance in a very spectacular
manner, cause a great deal of dis
turbance and anxiety, and almost as
spectacularly disappear. At least
they become comparatively unimpor-
tant, and seemingly for no particular
reason.
The plant diseases and the insect
pests which make their home in the
soil are generally less spectacular
than the others, and some times less
rapid in their spread and rate of in
crease. Often these soil diseases are
the most serious with which we must
contend, and are hardest to control.
They are often more certain in their
destruction, multiplying slowly and
insiduously, but increasing surely and
potently.
Not very long ago a new idea began
to be developed, or possibly an old
idea put to a new practice. It is con-
trolling particularly those soil dis !
eases and insects which each year are
affecting more and more all our crops. |
1t was found that practically all of |
these diseases and insect flourished |
when the reaction of the soil was
comparatively alkaline. The losses
were found to be practically negligi-
BILE, the diseases were checks, and the
organism sometimes destroyed COM
pletely by simply reducing the alkal-
unity, or increasing the relative aci-
dity to a certain point.
A very striking example, and one /
which has been commonly known, is
the disease lin this particular case it
happens to be a beneficial one) on the
root system of legumes. 1t is caused
by the nitrogen fixing bacteria. They
are very active in soils which are
neutral, or having comparatively low
acidity, and they were almost entire
ly, if not altogether, imperative in
soils whose reaction show relatively I
high acidity.
There are many other soil diseases
which are now under experiment,
which show great promise when the
lcidity of the soils is increased. The (
most striking example of recent de- I
7elopment is the control of the disease
causing scab in Irish potatoes. Most I
apmers are very familiar with this q
disease, and probably have small i
pots in different fields in which pota-
Oes invariably grow rough and scab-
". A specific organism causes this
cab, and it is common knowledge that
t is very active in fields where lime d
# some other material, which has a +
to reduce the acidity of the v
oil, has been applied. Only recently
4 New Jersey it has been conclusive /
Y shown that by increasing the aci- L
ity of these soils the scab organism
an completely and very quickly be
OntrOlled in it's activity. The pOta-
1es being grown in these fields or
n these spots are now practically r.
lean and free from scab.
The next problem was to find some
laterial which would most ecOnomi-
ally increase the acidity of the soil,
the same time not endangering the
-Op of potatoes. In these experiments
was found that sulphur was the
ost efficient and the most economical
II this purpose. 1t rapidly gained fa- ii
II, because it is comparatively cheap, II
is easily applied, and requires no
'ecial machinery or technical skill
: the farmer to apply it. 1t was found
at while it could be brOadcasted at
ON 300 to 600 lbs. per acre by hand, II
was more easily applied with a II
ain drill or fertilizer broadcaster II
'me time previous to planting and
ter ploughing was found the best
ne to apply it. II
Like anything else, it was found
at sulphur could be applied too
avily, causing injurious effects; but
? injury caused by the over-applica-
n of sulphur was found to be easily
rrected by small application of some
I'M of lime. In fac-, it was found II
1t the application Of sulphur on one n
1p and lime on the next crop in
sased the yields surprisingly.
It was very seldom, however, that
application of 400 lbs. or less per
re had any injurious effect on the
Id of the crop Os potatoes, or on the
crOp-in fact in most cases
was found very beneficial to the
Id.
IOing a step further with the sui
IT, the State Officials in New Fer
discovered that sulphur in order
be effective was oxidized or made
i've by certain specific biological
,nts. These organisms were found
y in certain soils, and then usual
in quantities insufficient to get the
value from the sulphur. In order
t the practice Of using sulphur on
soil be efficient this necessitated
ir finding a way Of producing sui
II which would with more certain
be active when applied to the soil.
s has resulted in what is known as
culated sulphur, which has been