POTATO BLIGHT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 82, 26 March 1908, Page 4

POTATO BLIGHT

o EXTERIiIEXTS AT A STATE j ' IAKM. r lirmvei-ol potatoes in the dominion of . New Zealand have this season bupn seriously aliected by blight, but a large ' proportion of the irops in the west have been saved from total failure by spraying. In this connection some interesting experiments have been carried out recently at the Ituakura State laiui. A patch of about four and a-half acres was planted with some hundred aud thirty varieties af tubers. They were sown early in November, and in two" divisions, »ith the idea of testing the value of certain manures upon the crop. The patch is in a most exposed position, not being sheltered or assisted in any way Iwvond being -prayed with Bordeaux mixture. The potatoes were sprayed on December 14th aud 31st, and again about the middle of January, tlie operation taking two men and a horse about eight hour, to do the four and a-liali acres twice. A- may be imagined, where -., many tarietie-' were tested. under varying conditions as to manures, the yield fluctuated tremendously, but thr interesting lesson to I* learned from the experiment is that spraving kept the whole lot free from any 'suspicion of blight: no trace of it has been visible, so far, over the whole area. Very marked re-ults have also be*n obtained in England and Ireland during tlie past «ea>on by spraying: but m making their report the Department of Agriculture for Ireland points out that spraying alone is not sufficient to secure a good yield of sound potatoes. There i- the danger ot" the potatoes becoming di-ea-i-d before or after they [ are lifted. Farmers are therefore advised to dig the crop without delay when once the haulms have 10-t their ] grem appearance ami turned to black. This !- Tlie only way of preventing the , lo«s of the entire crop. .