16 Nov., 1909.] Potato Experimental Fields, 1908-9. 737 



Adirondak. — This also is an American variety. It is fairly early and 

 has a russet skin and very white flesh. This jjotato has been sold under 

 the name of Excelsior, and there is not the slightest doubt but that it is 

 the variety which gave the reputation to the Excelsior. The variety mostly 

 grown for Excelsior is the Reading Russet, a much heavier \ielding and 

 later maturing variety, of a lower cooking quality; it is a good keeper, and 

 may be used \erv late in the season, as it cooks better than when newly dug. 



Diseases. 



Irish Blight. — The year 1909 will be memorable in the history of 

 [Mjtato growing as that in which the Irish Potato Blight was first discovered 

 in all the States of the Commonwealth. As far as this State is con- 

 cerned, there is no doubt the disease had lieen present in the locality 

 where it was discovered for a season or two. The fact that it was found 

 after a careful inspection of the potato districts to be confined to a com- 

 parativelv small area in one part of the State renders it an easy ta.sk to 

 prevent the spread of the disease, and with strict quarantine regulations 

 rigorously administered to stamp it out. Such regulations must prevent the 

 planting of potatoes in a quarantined area altogether, for a few seasons, 

 and the de.struction of all self-sown plants that may come up in fields where 

 potatoes have been grown. 



Unfortunately, manv persons declare that it is not the Irish Blight, 

 and make this statement on the authority of persons who claim tO' have 

 had experience of the disease in the old world. To show what serious 

 consequences mav arise from such an attitude, it should o^nly be necessary 

 to mention the case of New Zealand, where the disease was present for 10 

 or 12 years before it did serious damage to the crop. It was then found 

 in every part of the Dominion. No doubt farmers are not inclined to 

 give up so profitable a crop and cast doubt on the conclusions arrived at 

 by the Vegetable Pathologist, who is the person most qualified to determine 

 the disease. 



Another and more .serious danger is that growers may have the dis- 

 ease in an apparently mild form ; mild only because the weather condi- 

 tions have not been favourable to the de\elopment and spread of the 

 disease. Realizing that they will be quarantined if they make the presence 

 of the disease known, they will conceal it as long as they can and 

 market their produce as quickly as possible, with the result that the 

 disease will be spread to other parts of the State, when extermination will 

 be impossible. The onlv alternative will be spraying with Bordeaux mixture. 

 If growers would onlv realize what a handicap to the industry spraying 

 will be, thev would be aroused from the state of indifference and doubt 

 to which they seem to have settled dowm. 



The matter is of such importance that one v.ould have expected all 

 the growers in the State to have met together to agree upon the best 

 means of eradicating the disease, and to de^'ise a scheme to compensate 

 those Avho are compelled to surrender their crops for the ge)":eral good of 

 the industry. 



Spindle Disease, or " Threadyeye." — This affection of the potato 

 is known in every part of the world, and by different nar^es. In France 

 it is termed " Filosite" ; in England " Spindle di.seaso" ; and in this 

 State " Cottonyeye " or " Threadyeye." One of the first matters brought 

 under notice in this connexion with the experimental potato growing was 

 this disorder of the tuber which renders it useless for seed purposes. In 



