90 REPORT OF THE BOTANICAL DEPARTMENT OF THE 
Soluble bordeaux, a fungicide devised by Dr. 8S. M. Babcock 
of the Wisconsin Station, and soda bordeaux were compared with 
the regular lime bordeaux. Soluble bordeaux increased the yield 
11 bushels per acre; soda bordeaux, 512 bushels per acre; and 
lime bordeaux, 684 bushels per acre. The disease fought in this 
experiment was late blight. It may be that the soluble bordeaux 
was used in too dilute a solution. Soda bordeaux is not to be 
recommended, at least until further tests have been made. 
The average loss from potato blight and rot in New York in 
1904 was at least 60 bushels per acre. Most of this loss was due 
to late blight and the rot which follows it. 
The practice of spraying potatoes for blight is on the increase 
in this State. Many potato growers are preparing to spray in 
1905. Western New York and Long Island are taking the lead 
in this work. 
Farmers are advised to hire their potato spraying done by some 
one who makes such work his business. In this way the expense 
of spraying can be reduced and the extra labor and bother of 
spraying avoided. 
Judging from the results of the experiments thus far made, it 
appears that spraying for blight is an operation which no potato 
grower in New York can afford to neglect. Farmers are requested 
to make experiments and report the results to the Station. Direc- 
tions for spraying are given on page 193. 
INTRODUCTION. 
During the season of 1904 the Station continued the ten year 
potato-spraying experiments begun in 1902. These experiments 
are designed to determine how much the yield of potatoes can be 
increased, on the average, by spraying with bordeaux mixture. 
The plan is to continue the experiments during ten consecutive 
seasons and take the average increase in yield as the index of the 
value of spraying potatoes in New York State. The experiments 
are to be conducted in two localities; namely, at Geneva and at 
Riverhead. Two methods of spraying are to be compared as to 
their efficiency; Some rows are sprayed every two weeks regu- 
larly while others are sprayed only three times during the season. 
At each place the area of the experiment field is to be three- 
