The gazette-times., June 11, 1914, HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION, Page 13, Image 19

13
Growing Good Potatoes in the Pacific Northwest
Some Ideas on the Homely "Spud" by Men Who Know Whereof They Write.
HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION
.
S This is the fourth of a series of $
articles discussing potato grow-
ing.
By 0. M. MORBIS, Horticulturist; J. 0.
HALL, Plant Pathologist, and M. A.
YOTHERS, Asst. Entomologist,
at Washington Experiment
Station.
CROP rotation will often reduce the
amount of disease in an infected
field, but the periods of rotation
should be longer than threa years. The
collection and burning of the tops upon
a diseased field will decrease the amount
of the fungus upon that field and tend
to diminish the amount of disease.
"Rosette," "Little Potato."
The "Eosette" or "Littlo Potato"
is often introduced into a section with
the seed potatoes. These diseased tub
ers have upon their surface dark brown,
irregular patches of the fungous threads
Theao are most easily seen if the tuber
is wet. When these diseased tubers
are planted the young shoots are early
attacked by these threads upon the
tuber causing black spots upon the
stems near the surface of the ground.
SometimcB the stem is completely
girdled by disease. The fungous threads
spread to the underground parts of the
plant and may proceed upward above
the surface and form a grayish white
layer around the stem. The effect of
this layer is to cut off the supply of
food that should go to the tuber and
thus cause the formation of small aerial
tubers upon the stem above the ground.
Where the disease docs not so affect
the plants the tubers under ground are
affected and their surface may become
more or less covered with the rusting
stage of the discuso.
The effect upon the plant is very
marked at times, causing tho nodes to
become shortened and so producing the
so called "Rosette."
Treatment Is Told.
The shortening of the stem and tbe
consequent resetting of the leaves is
accompanied by tbe rolling of the leaves
inward and upward, especially in the
middle of the day. This often results in
tip burn because of the inability of the
leaves to return to their normal posi
tion before they are exposed to the sun
the following day.
Since the principal means of spread
of the disease is through the use of in
fected seed, all treatment must be di
rected toward preventive measures, as
in the case of the scab. Clean seed and
only clean seed should be planted. If
there is any doubt as to the seed being
dean and free from the disease it most
be treated as for the potato seab.
Infected tops and tubers should be
removed from the field and destroyed
by fire. Soil badly infested should not
be planted to potatoes, but such soil
may be made to produce fairly good
crops by liming, clean culture methods
and crop rotation.
"Black Leg."
Potato plants affected with "Black
Leg" are usually readily seen in the
field by a careful observer. They ap
pear more or less unhealthful and some
what undersized, according to the se
verity of the attack. The branches and
leaves have a tendency to grow erect
and not spread out as much as usual,
thus giving the plant top a more com
pact appearance. Later these plants be
come lighter in eolor and die. The dis
ease is certainly known by the blackened-
stem below the ground, although
tho eolor may extend in some eases two
or three inches above the surface. Us
ually the seed tuber from which the dis
eased plant grows is found to be decayed
with a soft rot and may have disap
peared entirely.
First, select clean seed; that is, seed
from fields that are sot infected. Sec
ond, discard all potatoes that show
wounds, cracks, or decayed areas. Third,
treat all seed before planting with for
malinone pint to 30 gallons of water
for two hours.
Diseases Bore or Unknown.
The following potato diseases are
either unknown in the state or are of
no serious import as yet, but may be
come so at almost any time.
"Early Blight" is not Serious in the
itato The "Early Blight" causes
brownish gray spots upon the leaves.
These spots are irregularly circular in
outline, are concentrically marked and
make their first appearance about the
time the tubers begin to form. The
disease often causes the destruction of
the leaves while the- stems remain
green. The progress of the disease is
slow, usually covering a period of three
or four weeks. It does not attack the
tubers and does not cause a rot. The
effect of tbe disease is to reduce the
yield through loss of leaf surface.
Treatment.
' The same mthods of control apply here
as are recommended for the control of
the "Late Blight."
"Powdery Scab."
This disease is very prevalent in
European countries and has caused some
agitation in the quarantine work of the
federal government. It appears as
small pimples that show a slight dis
coloration upon the surface of the tuber.
The tubers are attacked from the time
they are the size of hazel nuts until
they are practically mature. In dry
soil the disease forms small circular
patches about one-quarter insh in di
ameter. In wet soil the spots develop
until they sometimes form cavities one
inch in diameter.
Treatment
Plant clean seed or seed affected may
be treated as or the ordinary scab.
"Wart Disease."
The wart disease causes roughened
and wrinkled excrescenses upon the
tuber. These may vary in size from a
pin head to an egg. The disease usually
begins around the "eye."
"Silver Scurf."
Silver Scurf causes blackish olive
patches on tbe surface of the potato
which often cover considerable area.
The surface of the discolored area when
clean takes on a silvery or glistening
appearance. These areas are depressed
in the later stages of tbe disease and
at length the whole surfaee of the tuber
is involved.
W. Wisner, who lives in Folk County, near
Salem, pries a rare relie ft pair or ipec
Uelei uid to have been nude ftt leMt 150
yoars tgo. Ai deaoribed by the Salem States
man these ancient "lamps' were hand made,
the rima of brass and the lenaea of very rude
oonttrnction. Mr. Wiener is 7T yeare of age.
The epectaelee were first the property of a
(Teat-grandmother.
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...
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