1908.] Potato Leaf Curl in Germany. 



205 



Two diseases of the potato have been very rife in Germany 

 during the past year, and much anxiety is felt as to the next 

 crop, owing to the deficiency of sound 

 Potato Leaf Curl in seed. The diseases in question are " Ring- 

 Germany. krankheit" and " Blattrollkrankheit," ap- 

 parently the disease known in this 

 country as Potato Leaf-Curl (Leaflet 164), both of which affect 

 the tuber. Potato Leaf Curl is very common in England, and 

 c ' Ringkrankheit "or " Ring disease " is also found in potatoes 

 in this country. A note on the latter occurs in the Journal 

 ior December, 1902, p. 308. Count Arnim-Schlagenthin, 

 in an article in Fiihlings Land. Zeitung (1st Feb, 1908), 

 states that about 400 samples of potato, collected from all 

 parts of Germany, have been examined in his laboratory, 

 and proved without exception to be badly diseased, and 

 he concludes that these diseases, which were originally 

 limited to certain districts and certain sorts, have now 

 attacked practically all kinds all over Germany. He 

 considers that owing to ' the short crop of 1907, farmers are 

 likely to be compelled to use diseased seed, so that an increas- 

 ingly severe attack is to be expected in the current year's 

 growth. On these grounds, Count Arnim regards it as import- 

 ant that investigations should be undertaken to ascertain the 

 actual extent of the disease and also to discover a disease- 

 resistant sort. 



In the view of some authorities, however, Count Arnim has 

 over-estimated the danger to the industry, and the Hohenheim 

 Experiment Station has made an investigation into conditions 

 in Wurtemberg, and it is considered that so far as Wurtemberg 

 is concerned the crop is not seriously threatened, although 

 precautions are necessary. (Wurttembergisches Wochen. fur 

 Landw., 21st March, 1908.) 



On the other hand, at a meeting of the German Agricultural 

 Society in February, Dr. Appel, a recognised authority on the 

 subject, stated that the advice to counteract the disease 

 (potato leaf-curl) by the employment of sound seed could hardly 

 be followed this year as seed completely free from disease 

 could scarcely be procured in large quantities. This Society 

 has since issued a warning notice to farmers, urging them as 

 far as possible to avoid planting potatoes affected with leaf-curL 



