| Show knockout blow for blackleg of potato shot formaldehyde treatment of seed favored potato blackleg one of the most destructive tive of tuler tuber diseases dis cases lit in minnesota can be controlled by treating cating ti the seed pieces with hot formaldehyde or corrosive corros lve sublimate provided the sect pieces are arc planted immediately or are arc kept out of reach of a certain small fly ay until they are planted tills this fly lays its eggs in great abundance about the time potatoes are being planted if it happens to lay them upon seed potatoes all and such seed Is planted the eggs hatch out nhat Is known as the seed corn maggot so called because when first discovered it was attacking corn seedling according to J G leach of the division of plant pathology minnesota Colle college goof of agriculture the eggs contain the organism when they are deposited then its as the maggot bores into the seed piece it carries with it the bacteria which first rot lot the seed and then spread to the stem ot of the plant causing it also to rot all and tile die the maggots feed upon the bacteria its as well as the decaying lee abing aying tuber says doctor leach the bacteria remain in the intestinal tract of the maggot until it pupates and makes its way to the surface of the ground where it develops into the adult lly fly tims thus the 1 carries the blackleg bacteria altu it at all times und and if it deposits its eggs on a seed tuber tic the I 1 plant from such tuber Is practically certain ito ato become diseased disease 1 I the moral for growers Is to keep on treating their seed potatoes and then thell i to sure that the hies flies cannot get I 1 at them |
