OF THE 



UNIVERSITY 



OF 



CORROSIVE 



SUBLIMATE 

 TREATMENT 



CUTTING 

 THE SEED 



ARID AGRICULTURE. 



191 



Perhaps one of the best treatments that can be 

 recommended is to let them become well sun- 

 burned. The light seems to destroy the winter 

 stage of the root rot disease. The farmer can 

 tell whether this disease is present in abundance 

 on his potatoes by the presence of black spots, 

 which look like particles of soil that stick very 

 riii-litly to the skin of the potato. "Greening" 

 the potato seed also causes short, strong sprouts 

 which do not break off in handling and are ready 

 for business as soon as planted in moist soil. 



Treatment with corrosive sublimate or form- 

 alin will also help destroy this disease, and it is 

 n cure for true potato scab where the crop is 

 raised on clean land. Use two ounces of corro- 

 sive sublimate to fifteen gallons of water. Dis- 

 solve the corrosive sublimate in one gallon of 

 boiling water, using an earthen or glass jar. Mix 

 with water in a barrel and dip the potatoes, leav- 

 ing them in the solution one to one and one-half 

 hours. Spread out to dry before cutting. Cor- 

 rosive sublimate is a deadly poison and must be 

 handled with great care. Xever use the same 

 vessel for any other purpose. 



Small potatoes may be used for seed if they 

 are pure and true to type, and will give as good 

 results as will planting larger tubers. They may 

 be either planted whole or cut, one or two eyes to 

 the piece. The best results in cutting have been 



