THE POTATO 189 



half pint (half pound) of formalin. Smaller or 

 larger quantities in the same proportion. Dry the 

 soaked seed, cut and plant as usual. 



"It is well to remember that disinfected seed 

 will be reinfected if it is put back into the dirty- 

 sacks or boxes from which it was taken. If 

 to be used again, disinfect the sacks and boxes 

 also." 



It will be interesting to note how this subject is 

 handled by the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries 

 of Great Britain. Their "Leaflet 137" says: 



"At the present day Oospora scabies is one of 

 the most widespread of diseases affecting the po- 

 tato. The fungus usually attacks the tubers while 

 young, forming scattered rough patches or scabs 

 on the surface; these patches gradually increase 

 in size and number, and not infrequently, when the 

 tuber is full-grown, its surface is more or less com- 

 pletely covered with scab. 



"The injury is confined to the surface of the 

 tuber, the skin being broken up into fragments 

 over the diseased patches. Although the market 

 value is much depreciated when scab is present in 

 quantity, the quality of the potato is not in the 

 least impaired for eating. 



^'Prevention and Remedies. — (1) If scabbed po- 

 tatoes are used for ' seed ' without having been ster- 

 iUzed, the resulting crop will almost certainly be 

 diseased, and in addition the fungus will pass into 

 the soil, where it is capable of living for several 

 years. Scabbed potatoes may be used for *seed' 

 without the slightest danger of spreading the 

 disease if they are immersed for two hours in a 

 solution consisting of one pint of commercial for- 



