182 JKKEPORT OF THE BOTANICAL DEPARTMENT OF THE 
POTATO TROUBLES IN NEW YORK IN 190s. 
Over the greater part of the State the season of 1905 was char- 
acterized by heavy losses from, blight and rot. Throughout the 
growing season there was an abundance of rain in most localities. 
Floods in June caused much damage to potatoes on low ground 
and heavy rains in the latter part of September and fore part of 
October brought about an epidemic of potato rot. Many potato 
fields were killed by frost on September 14 and the remainder on 
September 26. Had it not been for the early frost several of the 
experiments reported in this bulletin would have shown consider- 
ably larger gains due to spraying. 
Late blight, Phytophthora infestans, was destructive in nearly 
all parts of the State. The earliest outbreak of this disease of 
which we have definite knowledge occurred in the vicinity of 
Sagaponack and Wainscott in the eastern part of Long Island. 
Here, one of the writers found it already well established on July 
1 and Mr. J. S. Strong, a farmer of Wainscott, states that he 
observed it as early as June 25. On July 2 it was found near 
Riverhead and on July 5 at Mattituck. It is reported to have 
appeared in a garden at Phelps about July 20, but the first speci- 
mens seen by us (excepting those from Long Island) came frorn 
Hornell where they were collected July 28. On August 1 we found 
it on early potatoes at Atlanta, Steuben County. Although care- 
fully sought, no trace of late blight was found at Geneva until 
August 12. 
Early potatoes were not affected with rot, but the late varieties 
suffered severely. In the Hudson Yalley there was less loss from 
rot and blight than in any other part of the State. This region 
suffered from drought in July as did also Long Island. 
The record for early blight, Alternaria solani, and flea beetles 
is about the same as in 1904. Early blight was rarely destructive 
except on Long Island where it was an important factor in many 
of the water on the mechanical condition of the bordeaux. However, it was 
observed that forty-degree bordeaux prepared by mixing copper sulphate 
solution having a temperature somewhat below 40 degrees Fahr. with milk 
of lime also below 40 degrees had apparently as good mechanical condition as 
had bordeaux made with the component solution at about 70 degrees Fahr. 
