1606 Report of Farmers' Institutes 



oughlv done and frequently, five to eight times in a season, the 

 more the better. 



In selecting seed those that show rot should be sorted out, since 

 there is no way to treat the seed to prevent blight. When weather 

 conditions are right the blight is almost certain to appear and the 

 only way known to control it is by spraying. The disease is car- 

 ried in the tuber but we are not certain that it is not also carried 

 in the soil. It is not important to refrain from planting potatoes 

 on ground where the blight has occurred the previous season, so 

 far as the disease is concerned, but it is not good farm practicf*. 



Lime-sulphur is not to be recommended as a spray for potatoes. 

 Bordeaux has been found in experiments to increase the yield 111 

 bushels to the acre, while lime-sulphur has decreased the yield 39 

 bushels to the acre. 



The best time to dig potatoes that have the late blight depends 

 somewhat as to when the potatoes can be marketed. If they can 

 be put upon the market at once, the sooner they are dug the better, 

 but if they are to be stored they should be left in the ground just 

 as long as possible. The loss from rot will be less if they are left 

 in the ground, and unless they can be sold, digging should be post- 

 poned until the tops are thoroughly dead and dry. 



Rot does not spread in storage under ordinary conditions. If 

 the potatoes are stored reasonably dry and cool, it is probable that 

 the rot does not spread from one tuber to another ; but where there 

 is a large amount of moisture present, the rot will spread to some 

 extent. The foregoing refers to the Phytophthora rot. Bacterial 

 rots, where conditions are right, will spread. 



The rot cannot be checked by mixing air-slaked lime with pota- 

 toes in storage. Three years' experiments prove that there is no 

 benefit derived. Practically all of the infection which causes rot 

 in storage occurs in the field and develops later. 



FUSAKIUM ROT 



When selecting seed potatoes this can be detected by blackened 

 tissue at the stem end. All such seed should be rejected. 



POTATO WART DISEASE 



Although this disease has not appeared in New York State, every 

 farmer should be advised of its seriousness and how to detect it. 

 Copy of placard, sample of which is shown on opposite page, was 



