ARID AGRICULTURE. 277 



As stated above, this blight is due to a differ- 

 ent fungus from that which produces the blight 

 of the East. It is probably due to the same fun- 

 gus that produces the dry rot of tubers in the 

 cellar. As this fungus works inside the plant, it 

 cannot be reached with sprays. 



It has been thought that this Western blight 

 of the potato could be prevented or cured by 

 spraying ; but the new light thrown on the cause 

 of our blight by Professor Paddock and his as- 

 sistants in Colorado shows it to be a disease for 

 which no remedy has been discovered. The only 

 suggestion made is that the seed may be cared 

 for in a way which will help prevent the blight. 

 Potato cellars should be kept sanitary and well 

 ventilated, and be thoroughly cleaned out and 

 fumigated. Crop rotation is indicated, and one 

 of the best remedies for potato troubles seems to 

 be to always plant after alfalfa sod, and not fol- 

 low potatoes with potatoes on the same soil. 



Some security may be had by dusting the 

 freshly cut potatoes for seed with air-slaked 

 lime, or flowers of sulphur. 



DISEASES OP The Ehyzoctonia of the potato lives on a 



SUGAR BEETS num j. )er o f different hosts, such as peas, alfalfa, 

 sugar beets and other things. It does consider- 

 able damage in places to sugar beets. Rotation 

 of crops is the indicated remedy. Where it oc- 

 curs never follow beets with beets. 



