NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



821 



Potato, Blight, Irish. By A. T. Hunter {Agr. Gaz. N.S.W. 

 vol. xxi. pt. vii. pp. 579-582). — ^The disease caused by Phytopiithora 

 infestans in potatos is described. It is recommended that if disease 

 appears in a field, the young tubers should be covered with several 

 inches of soil ; spray three or four times with Bordeaux mixture. Only 

 clean seed from disease-free districts should be planted, and the seed 

 tubers should be carried in new bags. Soak the tubers before cutting 

 in a solution of formalin. Neither potatos nor tomatos should be 

 planted in the ground on which blight has appeared, for four years 

 at least.— ^. E. W. 



Potato Blig-ht, Prevention of. By W. J. Allen (Agr. Gaz. 

 N.S.W. vol. xxi. pt. vii. pp. 571-576; 6 figs.). — Spraying experi- 

 ments at West Maitland with Bordeaux mixture and copper-soda 

 mixture yielded equally favourable results. — S. E. W . 



PotatO-destroyingr Fungus. By T. H. Johnston {Agr. Gaz. 

 N.S.W. vol. xxi., pt. viii. pp. 699-701; 1 fig. 1 plate).— The 

 dangerous fungus Armillaria mellea can live as a saprophyte and as a 

 parasite, attacking the roots of orchard and forest trees and potato 

 tubers. A cluster of mushrooms appears around the base of the 

 attacked tree. These yield innumerable spores, which develop into 

 rhizomorphs pushing their way underground in search of plant tissue. 

 This they envelop and penetrate with their slender threads. The 

 fungus is difficult to eradicate ; its growth and mode of attacking potato 

 tubers is illustrated in the accompanying plate. — S. E. W. 



Potato Culture in Northern Wisconsin. By E. P. Sandstein 

 and E. J. Delwicke {U.S.A. Exip. Stn. Wisconsin, Bull. 177, July 

 1909). — A paper of advice on potato-growing and tabulated results of 

 experiments in the treatment of the crop in Northern Wisconsin. The 

 advantage of a suitable rotation of crops is insisted on, and also the 

 importance of spraying with Paris green and Bordeaux mixture for 

 insect and fungoid pests. — M. L. H. 



Potato Culture on Irrigated Farms of the West. By 



E. H. Grubb {U.S.A. Dep. Agr., Farmers' Bull. 386, Jan. 1910).— 

 In the mountain valleys of Colorado are found conditions of altitude, 

 soil, and moisture naturally favourable to the growth of the potato, 

 with an almost entire absence of harmful pests and bacterial enemies, 

 and it should be possible to produce a crop approaching most nearly 

 to perfection. An account is given of the most approved scientific 

 methods of cultivation, the use of whole medium-sized seed potatos 

 being advised. The writer lays stress upon the need for much greater 

 care in selection of seed. Uniformity of size and shape in the yield of 

 the parent plant should be a great consideration, and after describing 

 what he considers a perfect specimen yield found in a crop of high 

 general excellence, the writer declares that by a series of years of seed 

 selection and by scientific attention to the needs of the crop, both in 



