7a4 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
NOV 2 
We are paying attention to the rot this 
year, but have never tested seed in the way 
indicated by D. C. L. Theoretically seed 
from an uninfected region should be greatly 
superior to that from one known to have 
been seriously affected by rot the previous 
year. The suggestion made in the Bulletin 
of the Tennessee Experiment Station, Yol. 
II, No. 2, page 36, indicates a promising 
line of experiment—namely: that heat 
less than that required to destroy the grow¬ 
ing power will kill the spores and myce¬ 
lium in infected tubers and perhaps copper 
sulphate will have the same effect. This 
bulletin is the best contribution to the sub¬ 
ject which we have had this year. The rot 
has prevailed so widely that it is doubtful 
whether absolutely souud seed can be 
found. 
Pennsylvania Experiment Station. 
FROM O. H. ALEXANDER. 
My experience shows that it is not a good 
plan for our farmers to select seed potatoes 
from a section where rot has prevailed. I 
dislike to plant any seed that is affected, as 
I am inclined to think, from what I have 
observed, that it invites disease to the vines 
and the new tubers; but one may plant 
good, healthy potatoes on flat, low lands, 
and should there be such a rainy season as 
we have had this year, they will be liable 
so decay, but not on rolling land. The dis¬ 
ease we know as potato-rot may be induced 
by many predisposing causes, such as 
feebleness of constitution of the variety 
planted, rendering the crop an easy prey to 
the disease; and planting on low, moist 
land or on land highly enriched by nitro¬ 
genous manures, causing a morbid growth 
which invites disease. But by far the 
most widespread and most common cause 
of the disease is sudden changes of atmos¬ 
pheric temperature, particularly when ac¬ 
companied by rains. 
Charlotte, Vt. 
FROM PROF. E. S. GOFF. 
Unless we disregard the teachings of sci¬ 
ence and of experiments upon this sub¬ 
ject, we can Ifcirdly escape the conclusion 
that seed tubers taken from a crop that 
was largely affected with the potato rot 
due to the fungous parasite Peronospora in- 
festans, would be more likely to be followed 
by an early development of the disease than 
seed tubers from a healthy crop. 
The expei'iments of Mr. J. L. Jansen of 
Denmark, as reported in the Gardeners’ 
Chronicle (Vol. 21. new series, p. 208), 
showed not only that diseased tubers pro¬ 
duced less vigorous plants than healthy 
ones, but that plants grown from diseased 
tubers developed the disease earlier than 
those from sound ones. Mr. C. B. Plow- 
wright, of England, who is very high au¬ 
thority upon this subject, has made the 
statement (lb. p. 448), that “ one diseased 
set planted in a field is a powerful agent 
for evil in that field before the general out¬ 
break occurs,” and Mr. Jansen, of Den¬ 
mark, also a high authority, has stated (lb. 
p. 589) that “ the disease will spread with 
far greater rapidity from 40 or 50 evenly dis¬ 
tributed centers than when it originates 
from only one place on each acre.” 
The subject is of less importance in this 
country than in England, as it is compara¬ 
tively seldom that the disease prevails here 
to any great extent, but I should regard it 
as quite unwise to plant seed tubers from a 
diseased crop when seed from a healthy 
crop was readily attainable. 
Experiment Station, Madison, Wis. 
FROM J. C. VAUGHAN. 
My experience in regard to potatoes 
grown from seed produced in sections where 
rot has prevailed extensively, is very limit¬ 
ed, as for several years our entire stock of 
the standard newer varieties has been 
grown in the extreme northern part of 
Michigan on the Lake Shore, and we have 
never had a potato rot from the disease 
yet. 
Chicago, Ill. 
FROM PROF. L. li. HAILEV. 
It is certainly unsafe to plant potatoes 
which contain spores of the rot, but I can¬ 
not say that tubers from a region where 
rot has prevailed are unsafe, from the fact 
that one field may be attacked and an ad¬ 
joining one may not. I can simply advise, 
as the safe method, to secure “seed” from 
regions where the rot has not prevailed 
during the previous year. 
Cornell University, Ithaca. N. Y. 
FROM FRED. GRUNDY. 
Three times in the past 18 years I have 
lost nearly my entire crop of potatoes by 
rot. Each time the rotting was caused by 
excessive and long-continued rains. By 
storing what sound tubers I could gather 
in a cool, dry place and in small lots I al¬ 
ways managed to save enough for seed in 
the following year, and the seed thus saved 
invariably grew as strongly and produced 
potatoes fully as fine as did seed imported 
from other States by my neighbors. It 
may be true that the spores or germs of 
the potato rot remain in such tubers as are 
slightly affected for some time; but that 
they are to be found in the clean, sound tu¬ 
bers found among those affected, or that 
they will develop in such tubers when kept 
under conditions unfavorable to their de¬ 
velopment, I doubt mightily. I am per¬ 
fectly well satisfied, however, that the 
soundest potato in the world will develop 
the disease if kept for some time under the 
conditions which favor its development. 
That some potatoes which were grown in a 
rot-infected district will not grow as well 
and produce as good tubers as those im¬ 
ported from other localities is all twaddle. 
All that is needed is that they be stored in 
a cool, dry place and then planted in suit¬ 
able soil. 
Christian County, Ill. 
FROM R. BRODIE. 
Here is my experience concerning a five- 
acre field of potatoes, one-half of which was 
planted with Beauty of Hebron; the other 
half with Early Rose. The soil was a clay 
loam with a sandy sub-soil; the seed was 
from a gravelly field the crop in which had 
partly rotted last year. • Six rows of Crown 
Jewel Potatoes from Philadelphia were 
planted in the middle of the field, and all 
were manured alike. The result was that I 
obtained a-quarter of a crop of Early Rose 
and Beauty of Hebron, while I had two- 
thirds of a crop of Crown Jewel. The latter 
variety made a more vigorous growth and 
withstood the blight much longer than the 
other kinds It seems as if the Early Rose 
and Beauty of Hebron are losing their vigor 
and getting “run out,” and that we ought 
to plant the newer varieties that can with¬ 
stand the blight; for so long as we have a 
vigorous, green top, we are sure to have 
sound potatoes at the root. On the other 
hand, I had seven acres on a gravelly hill, 
planted with the same seed—Rose and He¬ 
bron—and here there was a fair crop of 
good, sound potatoes. One of our best 
farmers told me that he had procured seed 
potatoes from two different sections where 
there was no rot, and that the product rot¬ 
ted worse than that from the seed he had 
himself saved. Some farmers are buying 
potatoes by the car-load for next year’s 
seed. 
One of my neighbors had 15 acres of pota¬ 
toes manured in the hill, the sets being 
placed right on the manure. They rotted 
so badly that he obtained only 100 bushels 
altogether. Mine rotted badly also, but 
still they averaged 100 bushels to the acre. 
I plowed under about 25 loads of rotten 
manure to the acre—part in the fall and 
part in the spring—worked the land thor¬ 
oughly with the Acme and Scotch Harrows, 
then planted the potatoes with the Aspin- 
wall Planter, applying about 300 pounds of 
potato fertilizer to the acre. With the use 
of commercial fertilizers potatoes have a 
bright, clean appearance, and are better 
shaped than when no fertilizer is used. It 
is my opinion that potatoes will not rot any 
more with barn-yard manure well mixed 
with the soil than they will without it. I 
had a small field planted with potatoes; on 
half of it barn-yard manure was applied; 
the other half I thought rich enough to 
produce a crop without manure, but was 
mistaken. The tops were more vigorous 
where manure was applied. When the 
blight came the small tops on the unman¬ 
ured part disappeared the fastest. On the 
manured part the potatoes were larger, 
while on the other they were small and not 
marketable. No commercial fertilizer was 
used in this field. 
Montreal, Canada. 
(L'uenjiu Ijcrt. 
RURAL POTATO REPORTS. 
The following notes have been condensed 
from the many letters we have received 
from subscribers who planted the potatoes 
sent out last spring : 
CANADA. 
Eight eyes. —Fourteen inches apart in 
trench. Planted May 27. dug October 3, 
clay land ; stable manure used, yield 20 
pounds—all good size but one. w. e. t. 
Beaverton, Ont. 
Five EYES.— Planted May 25, dug Septem¬ 
ber 19. Yield, 36 tubers weighing 14 pounds 
three ounces. c. E. M. 
Spring Hill, N. B. 
Six EYES.—Dug September 11, yield 35 
tubers, weighing 23 pounds. Last of six 
varieties to succumb to the blight. 
Highland Creek, Ont. B. F. c. 
Four eyes. —Started in a flower po . 
Trench system, rich soil. Yield, 18 tubers 
weighing four pounds. T.S. 
Pelee Island, Ont. 
Five eyes.— Trench system. Yield 31 
pounds. J. J. A. 
Thesalon, Ont. 
Eight eyes. —Fifteen inches apart in 
trench. A little barnyard manure. Dug 
September 18. Yield 53 tubers, weighing 
29% pounds. Finest lot of potatoes I ever 
dug. A. w. 
Castleton. Ont. 
CALIFORNIA. 
Planted five pieces April 30, dug August 
12; yield 14 pounds of fine potatoes remark¬ 
able for number of merchantable tubers. 
Sebastopol. A. E. S. 
Seven small one-eye pieces were planted 
April 10. The largest vines I ever saw for 
such small seed-pieces. Dug September 
30. Yield eight pounds. I will give it an¬ 
other trial next year, as it always takes 
seed one year to become acclimated. 
Alturas. L. J. K. 
COLORADO. 
We had nine hills from a potato the size 
of a small hen’s egg. They were planted 
May 3, and frozen down by our June frost. 
Killed by frost September 5; not ripe. 
Yield 53 tubers weighing 15 pounds. Not 
many small ones. MRS. C. H. 
Aspen. 
CONNECTICUT. 
Five hills, trench system, blighted and 
rotted, yield two pounds 14 ounces. 
Uncasville. D. A. s. 
DAKOTA. 
My small tuber was cut in eight pieces 
and planted in hills May 15; dug Septem¬ 
ber 10. Yield 65 potatoes, weighing 15% 
pounds. Considering the very dry summer, 
I consider the yield a remarkable one. 
Glover. E. F. s. 
ILLINOIS. 
Planted three two-eye pieces April 22. 
Yield 7% pounds. w. B. 
Beverly. 
Planted two potatoes. Yield 20 pounds. 
Healthiest variety I had. Less blight than 
others. G. D. 
Bunker Hill. 
Seed potato weighed 2% ounces. Planted 
on prairie sod never before plowed. Yield 
5% pounds. i. m. L. 
Alden. 
Planted eight eyes in deep trenches. 
Sod in bottom then seed-pieces lightly cov¬ 
ered with dirt and then hen manure and 
ashes. Yield 22% pounds. I. B. c. 
Prospect Park. 
Planted my potato whole. Yield 4% 
pounds. j. e. T. 
Yorktown. 
I CUT my potato to eight eyes. Planted 
in hills three feet apart, two pieces in each 
hill. Yield 12 pounds. Very fine. 
Hamilton. mrs. J. p. LaM. 
Planted 10 hills April 18. Good black 
soil, no fertilizer. Dug August 28. Yield 
20 pounds one ounce. a. g. C. 
Sycamore. 
Four eyes, four hills. Dug September 
12. Yield 8% pounds. Very fine, not a 
scab or scar. d. B. p. 
Pana. 
INDIANA. 
One potato, weight 1% ounce, yielded 
six pounds; very dry season. l. b. d. 
Courtes. 
Ten very small eyes planted April 29, fer¬ 
tilized with phosphate in hill. Dug Sep¬ 
tember 2, yield 19% pounds. Flea-beetles 
destroyed vines, or I would have had more. 
They are fine. e. w. 
Salem. 
One potato size of hulled walnut, planted 
in garden, in one hill, yield 3% pounds nice, 
smooth, large tubers. M. N. 
Selma. 
One small potato. Two hills dug and 
used by mistake, but the remainder yielded 
27 potatoes. T. C. C. 
Mt. Auburn. 
IOWA. 
Five eyes, in good garden soil, ordinary 
cultivation. Dug September 29, yield 58 
potatoes, weighing 27 pounds. The largest 
weighed one pound, 11% ounces. They out- 
yield anything I have ever tried. O. G. H. 
Decorah. 
Six pieces planted May 28, were dug Sep¬ 
tember 25. Yield 31 potatoes of good size. 
They had a poor chance. R. c. S. 
Campbell. 
One small potato started in box in the 
house, planted out in trench, and fertilized 
with well-rotted manure. Dug September 
9. Yield 38% pounds, largest weighing 22 
ounces. The price of the R. N.-Y. can’t 
buy the product of the little potato. 
Tipton. E. A. 
Twelve eyes planted in garden, May 
2, level cultivation. Dug September 7. 
Yield 86 tubers weighing 28 pounds 11 
ounces. Largest weighs 23 ounces. M. B. 
Corning. 
Three pieces planted May 10, dug Sep¬ 
tember 16. Yield 20 large, smooth tubers, 
two small ones. Whole weight 10 pounds. 
Oasis. l>- M. D. 
FOUR two-eyepieces planted in one hill on 
rich ground; came up June 4. Watered 
with liquil manure. Blossomed June 26. 
Vines died September 1. Dug September 7. 
Yield 36 tubers, weighing nine pounds. 
The largest weighed one pound. N. G. 
Cresco. 
Nine pieces planted May 15, fertilized 
with yard-manure. Dug September 11, 
weighed September 24, 37% pounds. There 
were 90 tubers; 40 of them weighed 30 
pounds. The largest weighed 20 ounces. 
Very few small ones. M. MCC. 
Muscatine. 
Six two-eye pieces planted in four-inch 
trench, May 10, fertilized last fall with 
stable manure. Dug September 2. Yield 
33 tubers weighing 14 pounds, all market¬ 
able but three. I am proud of them. 
West Union. D. K. G. 
KANSAS. 
Eight single-eyepieces, planted in black, 
sandy loam, fertilized with stable manure. 
Ground flooded twice. Yield 68 potatoes 
weighing 35 pounds, no small ones. 
Clyde. A G - M 
SEVEN hills yielded 15 pounds, all nice 
potatoes. M - B - 
Lyndon. 
Seven pieces in trench, no fertilizer or 
cultivation, yield 58 tubers weighing 14% 
pounds. A. . 
Centralia. 
MICHIGAN. 
Cut to seven pieces. Yield 14 pounds, 
marketable but three tubers. The potato 
will prove a success. MRS. J. D. I. 
Galien. 
Weight of potato, three ounces, very 
much wilted from being kept till May 5 
Cut to nine eyes and planted by the side 
Beauty of Hebron, White Star, Early Rose 
and White Elephant. Wood ashes all the 
fertilizer used. Here is the result: 
TOTAL YIELD. 
VOUR LARGEST 
lbs. oz. 
lbs. OZ. 
R. N.-Y. No. 2... 
20 14 
3 11 
Beauty of Hebron 
30 4 
8 8 
White Star. 
24 8 
no very large 
Rose. 
32 
5 
White Elephant. 
47 
7 4 
Harrisville. 
W. A. 
Four hills. Yield 34 tubers weighing 14 
pounds 12 ounces. No fertilizer used. 
Hagar. H. N. S. 
Two small potatoes made 14 eyes. 
Planted May 7, dug October 2. Yield 21% 
pounds. Crocker’s superphosphate used. 
Midland. E. P. R. 
Potato cut to 11 eyes. Yield 31 tubers 
weighing six pounds 11 ounces. Mixed 
hen and sheep manure put in bottom of 
