g. i). howb’s potato manual. 
11 
SCABBY potatoes. 
Scabby potatoes are the source of considerable annoyance to the 
farmer, the object of much speculation with the agricultural writer 
and an unyielding subject of the scientific investigator. 
Nothing reliable is known of the cause of this trouble, high author- 
ity being about equally divided on it, part believing it to be a fungus 
growth while others think it the work of wire or other worms. 
The Mass. Agricultural Experiment Station has spent four years 
on the subject and have arrived at only these rather minor results, 
viz. : That certain soils are very likely to produce scabby potatoes 
while others almost never do. That scabby or smooth seed has 
nothing to do with the crop being scabby, as scabby seed was planted 
on non-scabby soil and produced perfectly smooth tubers while per- 
fectly smooth seed without any hereditary taint of scab was planted 
in the scab-producing soil and rendered scabby potatoes. That the 
seed treated with chemicals and compounds usually destructive to 
fungus growth produces as scabby potatoes as if not treated. 
That potatoes grown in the scab-producing soil on a Sulphate, grow 
less scabby than those grown on any other chemical. This latter 
conclusion leads to what is now generally acknowledged, that pota- 
toes grown in a soil with scabby proclivities on commercial fertilizers 
will be by far smoother than if grown on barnyard manure or any 
fertilizer that has to decompose in the soil about the potatoes. 
Whether it lie fungus growth, wire worms, chemical action of the 
soil, atmospheric changes, or something else yet nnlhought of, that 
causes the vexatious trouble, it is certain that, the commercial ferti- 
lizers have a marked effect in lessening and in many cases, entirely 
preventing it. 
With this in view it is advisable to apply some of the fertilizer, 
say 200 to 400 lbs., according to the make, and the whole amount to 
be used per acre, in the hill or drill, a part under the seed and apart 
offers further on which closes the 20th of March. Manufacturer’s 
price is $3.00, at the factory. 
I shall Give Away this valuable 
little scale to my patrons this 
season. Having it sent, to those 
who are entitled to it, direct from 
the factory, so yon will get a per- 
fect article and one perfectly 
mew. It weighs from -3 oz. to 25 
pounds. See one of my special 
