The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1923-04-05
TREATMENT OF SEED POTATOES

y A little care in selecting and treat
y ing our seed potatoes may mean ia
D difference between q good yield 0
. clan, marketable potatoes and lo'
. yield of diseased ones.
] Those badly infected with tn
. sclerocia of Rhizoctcnia (black spot
} ON the tubers) Ind best be discarded
3 from the seed, as the larger masse
of the fungus are not likely to b'
killed by the treatment 1t is als'
well to cut thin slice from the stem
3 end of several hundred of the tuberi
} to determine if there is any great
; amount of infection in the yasuclal
tissue which is Indicated by circle
of brown or discolored tissue. TuberS
affected with this disease should not
be planted and should therefore be
sorted out before treating to avoid
waste.
The most commonly recommended
Treatment for seed potatoes rs cor
l,osive sublimate {mercurie chloiide)
in water, at the strength of -four
ounces of corrosive subhmate i'll thirty
gallons of water. The tubers should
remain in the solution ninety minutes
4 Dissolve the corrosive sublimate in an
earthenware receptacle with hot wa
ter before placing the material in cold
water In this work use only eartheu
or wooden receptaeles, as the treating
material is corrosive to metals Cor
rosive sublimate is poisonous to all
animals, hence care must be exercised
to prevent animals from drinking the
solution or eating the treated potatoes
The chemical is rapidly weakened by
use. The strength of the solution can
best be maintained by adding one
ounce for every five hundred pounds
treated, keeping the volume of the
solution constant. This treatment re
tards the development of the buds to
some extent, SO it is best to treat at
least ten days before the seed is cut.
It must be remembered that this kills
only the spores or germs of scab or
Rhixoctonia and does not prevent |
these diseases if the potatoes are
planted in infested soil, nor does IL
prevent the Fusarium wilt or other
diseases of the interior of the stem or
tuber.
Some growers advocate the planting
of whole potatoes. Repeated expert
ments in Idaho indicate that this is
not profitable practice for two rea
sons. First, unless very small tubers
are used the system is extravaganza in
that an excessive amount must DC
used. Second, this process produces sc
great a percentage of small tubers
that the total weight of marketable
potatoes is less than where cut seed
is used
AS general statement we may say
potatoes are usually cut into too small
pieces. Experiments extending over
ong periods show that the greatest
Yield of marketable-s potatoes is
obtained when seed pieces weighing
wo ounces were used The danger OF
planting too small piece is that a
pindly, weak plant results, that never
caches the size and productivity that
would be obtained if the seed piece
ad been larger.
If the potato is cut so as to have as
title cut surface as possible and into
ieces that weigh one and one-half
, two ounces, there is almost sure to
e at least one bud, which is enough :,
n the piece. The best way to cut the :,
otatoes is to first make Longitude | :
al cut beginning at the seed emo,
len cut the tuber again at right =
lgles into as many pieces as is nee -
sary. Very large potatoes sometimes :.
led to be cut longitudinally first in - :,
four pieces before the cross cuts. - :
A simple yet efficient contrivance -
7 cutting potatoes is to drive a case -
pairing knife into the end of a piece ;,
board in such way that the Old. :"
ator can sit on the board and push I"
potato across the upright blade of y
knife. Potatoes should be planted nc
soon as is convenient after they are WI
:. Carl M. Graysn,
Idaho County Farm Agent. :