Potato Disease.

Pahiatua Star and Eketahuna Advertiser, Volume 5, Issue 412, 15 July 1890, Page 3

Potato Disease.

(Melliournc leader. I A potato famine in Victoria is, perImp*, not to be dreaded juat yet. but those who affirm there is no such thing a* " potato diseaae ' in tbo colony will have to alter timt opinion, if we mi-take not. Totalne*. a- a rule, tins year an- not only very inferior in quality, but a great number of the tubers are affected with a disease apparently -molar to the downy mildew ilMiytophUiorm infestans! which pro--1 vaiU in the Old Country. This may he anweleome news to many, but if the genuine " potato disease ' has r.-al!\ appeared in Victoria, the sooner mnn - an- taken to arrest its progress the liette* - . The past season provetl unfavorable to the potato crop, and although no famine is apprehended, good |iotatoes are uiupie-tionably -carce. Wem a few more hail seasons lo occur, however, probably there would be a potato famine. But while such a calamity is not greatly to lie feared m this country, it is important that notice should be taken of any dege leracy m the quality of the esculent. Wu iu the (Mi'.ato disease one, makes it - appearance, a continual warfare in .st be waged against it. The - calh-1 •• potato disease," it has been found after a great many years of re- -■ ircii and no end of alleged remedies, is simply a degenerated constitution ho. igiit about by constant cropping. The potato is about one of the most hardy plants in cultivation, but continous cropping without change of seed or soil, to use an expressive phrase. improves it out of existence.” In drv countries the constitution of the tuber is not readily destroyed by artificial condition* of growth, but it seems from the symptoms of decay present this season that the Victorian jMtatoes are not so healthy as formerly. 11l a f< w more years this degeneracy of the toilers may he intensified until the crops are almost worthless. Our farmers will then begin to study the potato di - a-e, and propound all -orts of remedies, the same as for red rust in wheat. But the only remedy for the jiotato di-ea -e known in either countries

and remember this is a remedy, although temporary—is the propagation of new varieties. Is it not time to commence similar work here on it larger scale than has yet been attempted ?