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Show HI TO DETECT THE DISEASES OF POTATOES County agricultural agent W. Preston Pres-ton Thomas states that the potato crops depends largely on tho kind of seed that Is planted, and as It Is about time for planting he takes the opor-tunity opor-tunity to advise the farmers how to select and treat the seed. Speaking of tho situation Mr. Thomas has the following to say: "To detect whether your seed potatoes pota-toes have fusarium wilt, or rhlzocton-ia, rhlzocton-ia, give them the following tests "Tho test for fusarium wilt Cut a thin slice off the stem end of a potato, pota-to, If brown streaks forming an Irregular Ir-regular brown rings are seen, the po tato is infected. This brown ring will turn dark, as the potato remains in storage. "Seed treatment will not kill this disease, because It is on the Inside of tho potato. Potatoes showing this disease should never be planted.. To uso infected seed spells failure for this year, as well as leaving soil In diseased condition. "Before treating or planting your potatoes, cut slice from stem end, and discard all potatoes showing theso dark streaks If your seed shows per cent Of this disease should bo determined, deter-mined, before you purchase seed. If you have to discard the greater per cent of them, what few you get out of the lot, will come expensive. "Tho test for rhlzoctonia. If you find tiny, hard, dark spects on surface sur-face of potato, and, that by wetting them they black, you can bo assured there Is rhlzoctonia (rossettc). "The following treatment for rhlzoctonia rhlzoc-tonia Is recommended: "All seed potatoes should be soaked in a solution of mercury bichloride (corrroBive sublimate) four ounces in thirty gallons of water, for one and one-half hours. Formalin treatment will not kill rhlzoctonia as completely as mercury bichloride. The solution should be placed In a wooden barrel or tank. It erodes metal. It should bo poured out and made up fresh after aft-er it has been used to disinfect four lots of potatoes. Treated potatoes should not be eaten or fed. After potatoes po-tatoes have been treated they should be stored In sacks which have been similarly disinfected In solution." "This corrosive sublimate can he obtained at wholesale by calling at tho county clerk's office." |