THE POTATO ROT. Ill 



Mr. Crozier: I use the seed end in preference to any part, though every part 

 of the potato is good. 



Mr. Cunningham: I have best success by rejecting the seed end, and phmting 

 two pieces in a hill. 



Mr. Alward : Some time ago in Canada a man sold for 15 a secret receipt to 

 cure potato rot. It was to mow the tops when the rot appeared. The result 

 was, there were neither rot nor potatoes. 



At the Institute at East Saginaw this subject was discussed as follows : — 



Mr. Ure being asked as to his experience in potato growing, said: I have 

 raised Beauty of Hebron for 7 years past, and think it fully equal in value to 

 any other variety. It is earlier than Early Eose and keeps well till June. It is 

 difficult to get true seed. The variety seems to be gradually changing its 

 color, and now hardly looks like the same potato that it was originally. I have 

 a piece of land that has had potatoes on it every year for 37 years past, and 

 can tell by their looks potatoes grown on that piece from others grown on 

 adjoining land from identical seed. 



President Willits : Were you troubled with potato rot this year ? 



Mr. Ure : Not where tbe ground was well drained. In depressions on clay 

 loam sod with clay subsoil we had some rot. 



Mr. Bow: I have tested the question of hilling up as a protection against rot 

 by hilling part of a field and leaving part level. Those not hilled were larger 

 and yielded more, but had one-third spoiled by rot, which did not affect those 

 that were hilled. In my level culture the potatoes were so large that many 

 protruded from the soil and were sunburned, and many of them were red 

 streaked and soggy. 



Mr. Fischer : I dig my potatoes when the tops are green and my customers 

 like them and ask to have same kinds again. Dug early they keep better, and 

 are less subject to decay thaii when left too long before digging. Potatoes vary 

 greatly according to the soil and manure. In 187(3 I procured a barrel of 

 Early Vermont, and three of us planted one bushel each. I grew mine on a 

 clay soil with pine sawdust manure from my horse stable, and my potatoes grew 

 so large that they were rejected by the committee at the fair as not being Early 

 Vermont, and one of my neighbors took the prize on potatoes from the same 

 barrel of seed. I think part of the benefit of the sawdust manure was in aerat- 

 ing the soil. -™^ 



Mr. Webber: I think the effect of sawdust is more mechanical than manurial, 

 and that if boards were spread over the surf ace equally good results would ensue. 

 I would ask if any one has tried straw culture? 



Mr. Fischer: I knew a case of potatoes laid on June grass and covered by one- 

 foot of straw, tramped, that killed the June grass and grew a big crop. 



Mr. : I planted a half acre covered with a foot of straw, but the season 



was wet and the crop did not grow. This season I planted two acres of undu- 

 lating land, the low parts black soil, the high parts sandy. The low parts 

 rotted, the high parts are all I have left. When we dug the low ground I only 

 housed the good potatoes and put them one basketful deep over my cellar tloor 

 and they have been rotting ever since. 



As to fungus coming from leaves, I tried one year mowing the tops as soon 

 as the tops began showing the disease and could see no effect except that^the 

 potatoes were less developed. 



Pres. Willits : Were your light soil potatoes ripe earlier than the heavy? 



Mr. : Yes. 



