68 REPORT OF THE BOTANICAL DEPARTMENT OF THE 
POTATO TROUBLES IN 1906. 
On the whole, the potato crop suffered less from blight and 
rot in 1906 than in any previous season since these experiments 
began. It is roughly estimated that flea beetles and early blight 
caused an equal amount of loss, while late blight was responsible 
for as much damage as flea beetles and early blight combined. 
There was no rot of any importance anywhere in the State. 
SPRAYING IS PROFITABLE. 
Judging from 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. Forty-eight farmers’ business 
experiments made during the past four years show an average 
net profit of $20.51 per acre due to spraying. 
DIRECTIONS FOR SPRAYING. 
Commence spraying with bordeaux when the plants are 6 to 8 
inches high and repeat at intervals of 10 to 14 days throughout 
the season, making, in all, five or six applications. When bugs 
or flea beetles are numerous add paris green or other poison. 
‘For further details see page 134. 
INTRODUCTION. 
Does it pay to spray potatoes in New York? Potato growers 
have been asking this question for fifteen years or more. It is 
well known that in seasons when blight is destructive spraying 
will check the blight and considerably increase the yield; but 
the majority of potato growers have doubted that spraying is 
profitable on the average. They argue that blight does not 
appear every year. In some seasons it causes but little if any 
damage, yet the spraying must be done regularly because it is 
impossible to foretell the appearance of blight. The result is that 
in some seasons spraying is profitable while in others it is un- 
profitable and they doubt that it is profitable on the average. 
This Station has set out to find an answer to the above ques- 
tion. The investigation was begun in Igo2 and is to be continued 
until 1912. During ten consecutive years numerous potato 
spraying experiments will be made each year and at the end of 
the period the results will be averaged. The experiments are of 
three kinds: (1) Station ten-year experiments; (2) farmers’ busi- 
ness experiments; (3) farmers’ volunteer experiments. 
