TPIE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 421 



Nevada ^Mountains are exceptionally clean. "We can secure these. In 

 an extended trip through Oregon Mr. Shear also found in places tubers 

 that were very perfect, which can be secured. The plan is to secure 

 these sound tubers, plant them under strictest expert supervision and 

 confidently await results. ]\Ir. Shear and County Horticultural Com- 

 missioner Garden will make all needed inspection while the Delta pota- 

 toes are growing. Chief Deputy State Commissioner Weldon and the 

 writer will be equall}- \ngilant in inspecting the mountain experimental 

 plot. In both cases expert potato growers will do the cultivating. If 

 we succeed, as I believe we will, we will not onh^ procure excellent seed 

 that will greatly aid to restore the old-time production, but it will also 

 present an object lesson that will induce many to the same wise course 

 of action. 



AID OF COUNTY HORTICULTURAL COMMISSIONERS. 



Why may not several, or all. of our county horticultural commis- 

 sioners engage in a similar experiment the coming season? Is there 

 one who can not secure a few acres of rich well watered virgin soil 

 which has never had opportunity to become tainted? Then procure 

 seed absolutely smooth, with no elevations or depressions. This insures 

 that no eelworms are present. Again, if the tubers are wholly sound 

 within and without all danger of tuber moth affection will be avoided. 

 Of course scab would be rejected, and if minute brown specks or larger 

 scab-like patches are seen on the tubers, they would not serve the pur- 

 pose, as these indicate Rhizoctonia, one of the worst potato diseases. 

 This fungus is terribly destructive, and results in little potatoes the 

 size of marbles, both below and above ground, hence the name "little 

 potatoes." The patches can not be removed by slight brushing, hence 

 are easily distinguislied from dirt, but they can be made to disappear 

 by harsher friction and yet not bruise the tubers, which would not be 

 true of scab. 



The wilt fungus causes early dying of the vines, and the yield of 

 potatoes is most disappointing. In this case the potatoes must be 

 watched to see if the tops wilt and die prematurely. The potatoes 

 under inspection, both in our mountain valleys and in Oregon, are still 

 green with no show of wilt. This precludes the very destructive wilt 

 fungus. 



Will not several of our enterprising county horticultural commis- 

 sioners join us in this quest to provide sound seed for our potato 

 growers ? If this suggestion is followed out, it will serve two important 

 purposes: It will not only furnish first-class seed for those who wish 

 to grow potatoes and are troubled now to procure sound ones to plant, 

 but would also give the people in the mountain valleys a lucrative 

 employment in furnishing such seed. — A. J. C. 



A Broader Viewpoint. With the passing of the month of Septem- 

 ber another event has been incorporated in the history of crop produc- 

 tion in the State of California. To our mind a marked incident in the 

 event was the broader and clearer view and grasp of the fundamentals 

 involved, obtained and digested by the various officials whose daily 

 duties are intimately concerned with the sanitary, hygienic and restric- 

 tive features of the situation as developed at the Potato Convention 

 held at Stockton on September 25th and 26th. The grave danger of 



