698 ] onrnal of Agriculture. [10 Nov., 1909. 



Wire nails, 1-cwt., 2-in., 21 lbs. 1^ in., 28 3-in., 14 4-in. (If patent roofing felt is 



used, 7-lb. \\-'\w. extra for extra lining ) 

 Tacks. 41bs. , for hessian 



Galvanized iron spring- licatl nails, 51b. 2-in. (lib. only if roofing felt is used. ) 

 Camber bars 2 4-ft x 2-in x |-in., wrought iron. 

 Colonial oven, 1 3-ft. x 1-ft. (J-in. 

 Hessian, 62-yds., 72 in. wide. 

 Tar, 5 gallons, for damp-course. 

 Galvanized (Jorrugited Iron, 2)-gauge, 52 7-ft. (If p.itent roofing felt is used 



no corrugated iron needed, but 3| rolls of felt with caps, cement, and nails 



for fixing). 

 Tank, one l,00()-gallon corrugated galvanized iron tank, with cover, tap, overflow, 



&c., cnmpiete). 

 H ricks, 2,800. 

 Cement, 2 casks. 

 Sand, 2 cubic yards. 



It would be a great improvement to the cottage and but little extra 

 cost for the eaves to project about i foot. This would mean using 26 7-ft. 

 and 26 8-ft. sheets of iron instead of 52 7-ft., and 22 14-ft. rafters 

 instead of 22 13-ft. If joofing felt is used in place of iron, 2ri rolls will 

 be needed instead of 3J rolls, and 100 running feet more lining? In each 

 case the barge boards will be 14 feet instead of 13 feet. 



IRISH POTATO BLIGHT AND ITS TREATMENT. 



D. McAipuie, Vegetable Pathologist. 



The discovery of Irish Potato Blight in the different States of the 

 Commonwealth renders it necessary tor point out, without delay, the 

 various precautions to be taken in dealing with this disease, in order to 

 prevent or limit its spread, as well as to eradicate it, if possible. The 

 first step to be taken is evidently that of isolating the affected districts, 

 by proclaiming them infected areas, so that no potatoes growing in such 

 districts shall be allowed to rontaminnte healtln potatoes, or to be used 

 for seed. 



But the disease may be jjresent in other districts at present unsus- 

 pected, and in order to keep presumably clean districts free, certain mea- 

 sures may be adopted. .Since the disease is due to a microscopic fungus, 

 who.se life-history is fairly well known, and described in Bulletin No. 27, 

 it can only be definitely determined by an appeal to the microscope. But 

 there are certain symptoms which indicate its jiresence, and may be taken 

 as presumptive evidence of its existence. If the loa\es show brown sjxjis, 

 which are surrounded by a delicate mould on the under surface, so that 

 ultimately the leaves and stems blacken and decay, the fungus is probabh 

 that of Irish Blight. The leaves, however, may simply turn brown and 

 shrivel up, and yet the tubers may be affected. The surface of the potato 

 may be sunken in patches and brown underneath, as a preliminary stage, 

 and this may be followed 1>\ putrefactive organisms, which render the 

 entire tuber rotten, and cause it to gi\e forth an offensive smell. 



Principal Means of Prevention. 



There are at least three princii)al means whereb\- the fungus ma\ be 

 either prevented from gaining a footing, or kepi in check - 



I. As the fungus was first imported into .Australia by means of seed 

 potatoes, brought from countries where the disease already existed, the 

 living spawn of the fungus being latent in the tubers, it is evident that 

 if only clean seed be u.sed, free from the fungus, tliere will be no de- 

 velopment of the disease. 



