POTATO DISEASE.

Marlborough Express, Volume XL, Issue 6, 8 January 1907, Page 4

POTATO DISEASE.

, Ther. e lS a widely-entertained belief that disease in potatoes is occasioned by persistently using seed from the same stock, but the experience of Mr f u™et*i of Mount Cook Station, j bouth Canterbury, does not coincide with that view. He says that, although he has not changed tiie strain from which he plants for over thirty years, his potatoes have never been attacked by blight-. He attributes this immunity from disease to the nor'westers, which keep the diseases of the plains away from the hill country. This may be accepted as an acknowledgment that the conditions have not been favourable to the generation of disease and Mr Burnett's experience !'eallv proves nothing. The question is: What would be the result if the conditions favoured the generation of disease? The general opinion is that there would be an outbreak as a consequence of the weakened constitution ot the seed used. There has so far been no appearance of disease anywhere in Canterbury and Otago, the conditions —dry, warm, and windy weatherhaving been adverse to the generation of disease. From Southland, however there comes a report that blight has made its appearance in some potatoes about Invereargiil, but it is possible that this report may turn out erroneous, as have others from Dunedin and Oamaru. At any rate the outbreak, if it be an outbreak at all. does not seem to be of any particular moment.