BROOKLYN BOTANIC GARDEN 
LEAFLETS 
THE BROOKLYN INSTITUTE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES 
Series VI Brooklyn, N. Y., May 29, 1918 No. 4 
POTATO DISEASES* 
Potatoes lead all other other crops in world’s food production. 
Over 5,000,000,000 bushels (of which Europe grew 90 per cent) were 
averaged annually throughout the whole world for the past ten 
years. Potato growing is also said to yield more return for capi- 
tal and labor invested than any other crop. After the sovereign 
spud, follows in decreasing order corn, wheat, oats, then rice; 
although if we had accurate statistics as to rice growing in 
China, the latter would undoubtedly be placed much higher as a 
world feeder. 
It is estimated that, in 1915, the average yield per acre of 
potatoes in the United States was 96 bushels; while the next 
year it decreased to about 80 bushels. On the other hand, Great 
Britain and Ireland, from 1904-1913, averaged 210 bushels, and 
Germany, 200 bushels per acre. YVe can take some comfort, how- 
ever, in the fact that the world’s record for yield is held in 
America, when Mrs. Jones, of Chautauqua County, N. Y., grew in 
1888 on a plot of of an acre, potatoes at the rate of 1061 bushels 
to the acre ! While it is true that Europe is not pestered with 
potato bugs, and also that the northern countries have the cool 
climate which potatoes prefer, we must acknowledge nevertheless 
the probability that Europe takes better care of her crop than we. 
For instance, the potato crop in the United States is reduced 
each year by more than 100,000,000 bushels as the result of injury, 
largely preventable, by insects and diseases. In New York State 
alone, in 1912, 20,000,000 bushels of potatoes were lost through 
late-blight. Such losses may be largely avoided by the methods 
explained below. As good business men, we should, especially 
in these critical times, stop all avoidable leaks in crop production. 
*For further information on this subject, consult Gilbert’s “The Potato”, pub- 
lished by the Macmillan Co., N. Y., 1917 (especially chapters X.on "Diseases of the 
Potato” and XI. on “Control Measures against Diseases”, by Dr. M. F. Barrus); 
Farmer’s Bulletin No. 856, on Control of Diseases and Insect Enemies of the Home 
Vegetable Garden; Farmer’s Bulletin No. 868 on How to Increase the Potato Crop by 
Spraying; as well as other publications (e. g. Bulletins 544,64. etc.) of the United 
States Department of Agriculture on potato diseases. 
