1893 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
23i 
THE « OTHER SIDES ” OF POTATO SCAB. 
In this section, with more variety of soil on each 50- 
acre farm than can he found in the whole State of 
Nebraska, we have a rare chance for experiment. In 
digging potatoes for the table, the first sign of scab 
is an almost imperceptible web-like mold or fungus ; 
by careful observation each day, we find the patches 
made by this more distinct, the surface is slightly 
raised, and the color of the spot from yellowish white 
grows gradually darker and the surface rougher until 
we see the true scab in all its hideousness without 
any interference from worms of any kind. If one 
wishes to prove this for his own satisfaction, let him 
select a piece of sandy, dry loam; in the center let 
him spread a couple of loads of partly decomposed 
chip manure at least three inches thick, and plant 
early potatoes, and watch carefully, and if he doesn’t 
find the true cause of scab, I will give up, or will fry 
to induce some one with the necessary scientific 
education to explain matters more satisfactorily. 
Sinclairville, N. Y. an observer. 
On page 142 a friend of The Rural speaks of a worm 
as the cause of potato scab. Now he is right in one 
sense, but here in Erie County, Ohio—a notable potato 
section—we call the effects of the injury done in this 
way “ worm-eaten.” I find that the true scab is 
altogether a different disease. When the scab is 
removed from a scabby potato, the flesh will be found 
solid underneath, but when a tuber is worm-eaten 
pits are found in the flesh. The first stage of scab 
will be noticed as a brownish, gummy rot or a sub¬ 
stance forming on the surface of the tuber; as the 
latter grows old this rot slowly dries and forms a scab. 
Last season I had a plot of potatoes planted after 
early cabbage ; the ground was full of manure and 
fertilizers ; the crop was affected with blight, and 
scab at once set in and four-fifths of the tubers were 
so scabby that no skin could be seen. geo. bittner. 
The opinion expressed in The R. N.-Y. years ago 
that the scabby appearance of the potatoes was caused, 
in part at least, by wire worms was, I have little doubt, 
correct. I have found some land where they did the 
mischief and have farmed other land where large 
white grubs were the sinning rogues, and on the farm 
I now own the angle (or fish worms) give me more 
trouble with my potatoes than I have ever had in 40 
years. On parts of my farm where fish worms are very 
thick, in order to secure any sort of potatoes, I have 
to dig them out as soon as they answer in any way. I 
have other fields that are comparatively free from 
fish worms, where I can raise smooth potatoes, but I 
can not raise them smooth where the worms are. I see 
nothing about my potatoes except the work of the 
worms and always find the latter present and at work 
on them when I dig scabby ones. The theory that the 
fungus attack on the potatoes causes this rough, 
scabby appearance, or, in other terms, that it will de¬ 
stroy them if allowed to remain in the soil, and that 
the different kinds of worms of which I have spoken, 
some of which are always present, are there simply 
because they delight in the filth of decaying vegeta¬ 
tion, would imply that they are keener-scented, and 
more nimble in getting long distances than I think 
possible. In my farming I am very confident that the 
different kinds of worms make my potatoes scabby. 
New Berlin, N. Y. d. 8. H. 
Ready to Accuse Wire-Worms. 
Years ago I grew a special variety on an experimental 
patch on which potatoes had been grown in success¬ 
ion for years and there were a great many rough, 
scabby tubers. Seed of that variety being scarce, I 
planted all on soil that had not been under potatoes 
for years. The result was a crop of large, smooth 
tubers at the rate of 240 bushels per acre, with fewer 
culls than among any variety planted that season, 
though no preventive of any kind was used. Tbe 
same year pure, clean seed entirely free from disease 
was planted on that experimental ground and gave 
an almost worthless yield. The first variety has for 
over six years kept entirely free from anything like 
scab, and is still the smoothest sort now grown on my 
farm. A few years ago I planted smooth seed in a 
piece of new ground. About two rods from a fence 
where leaves had collected and had been plowed 
under the product was worthless owing to being per¬ 
fectly honey-combed with disease, although the tubers 
had grown to a good size, while outside of the leafy 
soil the crop was splendid. 
Last year my experience upset all my former theo¬ 
ries. I had a limited amount of the Freeman which 
I desired to put on just one acre prepared especially 
for that variety, but, after reflection, I concluded that 
one-third of the ground was not sufficiently rich, so 
on that one-third I planted Rural New-Yorker No. 2, 
the remaining two-thirds being planted with the 
Freeman after I had picked out the choicest tubers of 
the latter to be planted in one-third of an acre in an¬ 
other place. The last piece of ground was put in choice 
order with 600 pounds of phosphate having a small per¬ 
centage of potash, to the acre. The seeds were dropped 
and covered by hand. No pains were spared to make 
that one-third of an acre do its best. No manure was 
applied to it that year, but the sod contained consid¬ 
erable Timothy and Blue grass. Although plowed 
early and frozen hard several times, the results from 
wire-worms were most damaging ; they not only punc¬ 
tured the tubers fearfully, but entered the stalks and 
killed fully half the vines, so that the crop was nearly 
worthless. I took all the eaten tubers out of the seed 
planted on the two-thirds of an acre mentioned, and 
planted them by themselves, and, if anything, got 
better returns from them than from any planted, 
though the whole soil seemed infested with wire- 
worms. The seeds of the Rural New-Yorkers were 
smooth. The product was very large in size and the 
yield magnificent; but the wire-worms damaged them 
somewhat, but not nearly so badly as the Freeman. 
Also another variety planted in three different parts 
of the farm, I see by reference to my plot book, gave 
the following results : No. 1, planted in Blue-grass 
sod, very scabby ; No. 2, planted in Timothy sod, some 
scabby; No. 3, planted in sod plowed for a term of 
years, ve’-y smooth. All the plots were manured late 
in the winter, but none of them were ever planted to 
potatoes. From planting in clover sod, no trouble has 
been experienced from scab, though I am always ex¬ 
tremely particular in the selection of seed to have it 
smooth and free from anything of a character that 
might damage its progeny. I am almost ready to agree 
with The Rural New-Yorker that scab is the work 
of the wire-worm that is playing the greatest havoc 
with potato growers everywhere. geo. e. scott 
Jefferson County, O. 
Angle Worms and Wood Ashes. 
At present I cannot agree with those who claim 
scab to be caused by parasites. Whenever I have 
planted potatoes where the ground has been quite 
heavily manured and the soil naturally moist, there 
have been great numbers of earth worms. Five years 
ago my father and I planted four acres of potatoes on 
such land. The season was extremely wet and about 
half the crop rotted. Those that remained sound 
were simply encrusted with scab. The “angle worms” 
were there in large numbers, and were to be found 
twined around the tubers and fairly embedded in the 
scabs. Wherever there were worms there we found 
scab, but on a portion of the field higher and not so 
wet, there were few worms and proportionately less 
scab. Very few wire-worms were found. Those 
scabby potatoes constituted our seed for the next 
year, and were planted, scabs and all, on clay loam. 
The season was again wet, but on this soil worms 
were scarce and there were no scabby or rotten pota¬ 
toes. The variety was the White Star and they were 
beauties—as smooth and fair as one could wish. 
Now, if the disease (?) is transmitted in the seed, 
what had become of it ? With two exceptions, not a 
sign of it was to be found. There were two spots in 
the field where brush had been burned and the ashes 
plowed under; on these the potatoes were so scabby 
that every one had to be thrown away. (This, too, has 
been The R. N.-Y.’s experience.—E ds.) The two fol¬ 
lowing years the same piece was planted from the 
same seed, and there were splendid crops of extra¬ 
smooth tubers, except on those two spots, and there 
the tubers 'were again worthless. No worms were to 
be seen on those Bpots at digging time. Again, some 
Early Sunrise potatoes planted in the garden were 
fertilized with a handful of ashes on each hill; the 
crop was badly infested with scab. I have found plenty 
of wire-worms at work in potatoes, with their heads 
and parts of their bodies in the tubers, and sometimes 
the whole worms were entirely within the potatoes, 
but I have never thought there were any results from 
their work other than holes and the potato skins dis¬ 
colored around the entrances. I now plant my potatoes 
on my best drained and highest land, which is more 
free from worms, and I have very few scabby tubers. 
I should expect a smooth potato from scabby seed just 
as surely as though the seed had been the acme of 
smoothness. I am inclined to believe manure and 
moisture attract the worms, and the worms cause the 
scab. But how about those ash spots for three successive 
years ? Can any one offer a satisfactory explanation ? 
Little Utica, N. Y. h. s. w. 
SUMMER SNOW—“Juiciest of Peaches and Sweetest of Juice.” [Copyrighted 1893, by the STARK BRO’S NURSERIES, Louisiana, Mo.] 
Summer Snow for nearly 50 years ha 3 been THE 
great preserving and canning peach in Missouri’s ban¬ 
ner fruit county, “old Pike.” Why? Because it has 
never failed to reproduce TRUE from SEED, because 
it is the hardiest, longest-lived, and surest bearer; be¬ 
cause it is the most luscious, juiciest and sweetest of 
peaches. A snowy white cling, clear white to the pit. 
Trees planted 35 years ago, in 1858 , still bear, —and 
BEAR WHEN OTHERS FAIL. 
Washington Stark (a member of the original firm of Stark 
Bro’s, prior to 1858), Pres't Citizens’ Bank, Windsor, Mo., Dec. ’90: 
“Juiciest of peaches, and sweetest of juice—full of it. We can 
Summer Snow, using no sugar at all. Fruit buds stand 6 to 10 de¬ 
grees more cold than any other peach ; has borne numerous crops 
when all others failed. Bore this year on trees 33 years old, which 
X brought with me when I left old Pike, in 1858. One of the best 
eaches grown, and just about perfection for canning—far more 
eliciou3 than Heath Cling, and ripens a month earlier. Of special 
value along the Northern borders of the peach belt.” 
U. S. Pomologist Van Deman, Feb. ’93: “ The Summer Snow 
is indeed very good, valuable for canning, and is peculiar in re¬ 
producing true from seed.” 
Above engraving gives scarce an idea of the original 
photo, in our beautiful book, Fruits and Fruit Trees. 
This artistic work, the Fruit Grower’s Guide, and 
some other surprising things, are just off the press. We 
wish we could tell you what they’re like. We cannot. 
Nor can any man. Every one of the hundreds of large 
pages must speak for itself. It’s a simple recital. But 
the story is marvelous. 
You’ll see scores of accurate new Copper Half-tone 
photos.—the Highest Art Process known — views in 
Nurseries and Orchards, lovely views of fruits and flow¬ 
ers. A 25-acre field of Roses in June time—and another. 
If you’re a woman and are like her whose letter you’ll 
fin d on page 79, “So tired of little roses by mail,” you’ll 
enjoy seeing our Roses—strong 2-yr. plants, 3 4, and 
even 5 ft. tall. And they cost less than the puny things. 
That startling NEW horticulture —Stark Bros.’ 
Colo. Non-irrigated Orchards I Photos, tell the story. 
Just think of 20,000 acres of orchards l 
Then, the photo. “Digging Treesby Steam,” another 
of the many new plans used only by Stark Bro’s *, in¬ 
numerable scenes on packing and shipping grounds— 
in short, you’ll see how a great Nursery business is done. 
These pictures are not regulation gorgeous impossi¬ 
bilities, the baseless fabric of, soma artist’s ” vision. 
Th z Rural New Yorker says: “ Photographs cannot lie. They 
must show just exactly what cornea before them ” 
Would you not prefer to deal with practical Fruit 
Growers and practical Nurserymen ? Are not men who 
have large orchards of their own, most likely to know 
which are the best varieties ? Few buyers of trees know 
where to buy and when buying, know whether they buy 
from the producers or several hands removed. We are 
wholesale growers on the largest scale. When you buy 
from us you get stock such as has made us friends every¬ 
where during the past fifty-seven years. 
Many nurserymen have not a single specimen on 
their grounds, much less an orchard. Some do not even 
grow a small part of the stock, they sell—their nurseries 
are chiefly in their catalogues. Yet we sell thousands of 
trees to some of these very firms. Their customers could 
as well buy at first hands. But—well, perhaps we 
couldn’t handle all the business that would come if their 
customers only knew. But they don’t. Besides we don’t 
want all the business. 
But you want the most for your money—not appar¬ 
ently, but actually. A wise man takes chances only in 
his own business. When he invests in such an impor¬ 
tant thing as an Orchard he wishes to feel absolutely 
safe. He wants something that on its face carries con¬ 
viction—disinterested endorsement. 
Read the unnumbered thousands of letters from 
PLEASED Customers who send U3 their orders year after 
year, some still buying who bought fifty years ago. Men 
do not as a rule, send the second, and the third, and 
even the twentieth order, to the firm that does not deal 
fairly with them. Weighty and worthy of consideration 
are these letters—coming from all over the world, prac¬ 
tical, honest unbought testimonials, the every-day ex¬ 
pressions of every-day people. 
Doesn’t an output of millions of trees yearly, tell a 
plain story of production at small cost, low prices and 
just and liberal dealing? 
Don’t think because we will sell you a tree or a rose 
for a third, or a half, what some others ask that they are 
not good. Trees offer great opportunities for cheapening 
out of sight. OUR fixed aim : QUALITY first. Next, 
reduce the price. 
Wholesale prices for even small orders would not be 
possible but for our “really wonderful” nursery system. 
By this system we handle a world-wide business, shipping 
from Sept, to June. We run our own special cars to the 
“Big 3 ” cities,- Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City,—and 
PAY FREIGHT—but see Wholesale Price List. 
This one thi- g we do. Our life object ia to acquire 
and impart E 2 LAUT L-TFORM^TION ABOUT TREES AND 
fruits. We h ve not 1 araed it all. But the knowl¬ 
edge gained in 58 ) ears’ xperience is yours if you write 
for it. Ask u rnything about trees and we will advise 
you honestly—and b happy to do it. 
But jus. here we incline, for the time, to say fare, 
well. How “trees” are sent by mail, how Idaho pear 
blights and what the true name and history of the * ‘Japan 
Golden Russet,” how fell those other “ gems from the 
sky”—wineberry, hardy orange, and how many more,— 
all these, with a variety of other delectable particulars, 
maybe found set forth in the books---which are all yours 
if you write to Stark Bros., Dept. Y, Louisiana. Mo. 
If you send stamps, we’U send ’em back— -on the books 
