A BLIGHT-RESISTING POTATO.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13480, 20 July 1907, Page 3

A BLIGHT-RESISTING POTATO.

(From Otago Witness, Jitne 12, 1907.)

The ravages of; the potato blight in various parts of the colony during the last few years have led to inquiries being made for new seed. There is every reason to believe that owing to neglect* in the past on the part of ; growers 4" not changing the seed often enough the potatoes both in New Zealand and Australia have degenerated, and are able to offer little resistance <■ to the attack of the blight.! Recognising what was taking place, Mr. Russell Kidd, of North Tasmania, has for. the last ten years been experimenting with a view to creating a new and pure stock-r-some-thing that would replace the Derwent, which, as is well known, has become so impoverished by % over-growing as to be quite unable to resist the dreaded blight. In 1904 Mr. Kidd produced a new seedling, which he named the "Gem of the South." This seedling is a pur* redskin, with beautiful-set eyes, -it is such «n enormous grower that it has been found necessary to only use one eye when setting. One lot can thus be drawn on for a period of five years. For the next five, yea.rs it is recommended to use two eyes, and then for another similar period three eyes, which is the limit. From a setting of one pound of Gem of the South potatoes lOcwt. 121 b. has been lifted. Public exhibits to show the extraordinary growth of i^he potato were given in Tasmania before representative visitors from New South Wales, New Zealand, and public bodies in' Tasmania. Th* potatoes have been grown in the poor- j est and most hungry ironstone griv«i, in a ground which would be conside 'Ctl f&tal to successful potato culture. Vhe season was a rainless one, and the set* cut of single eyes. The result of this experimental -setting was lltons 17cwt. 2qr. to the acre, while such noted yieltlere as Adirondacks, Burbanks, and Free mans barely returned the seed. T hr* Gem of the South, it: is claimed, aiso triumphed over such noted varieties as Northern Star, Up-to-Date, and others, j It is claimed that the Gem of the South is such a lusty grower that in one month the shaws are so strong as to resist j anything in the shape of disease, it is on account of the heavy top growth that only one oye can be planted. The potatoes were sold i* Tasmania last year at 40s per lb. In conversation with Mr. A. Moritzson, who take a keen interest in the matter, that gentleman said that from the experiments carried out in Tasmania tlie new seedling' was just th« thing required for - New Zealand. •*• Judging/ by the samples wef"hßvein hand," said ' Mr. Mort&on^ potato is beautifully shaded, with w&l-set eves and solid white flesh. It is'; in short, a genuine, redskin. When such a potato as this is brought into the country and placed in the hands of the farmers, the old Derwent potato, which has held *sway for so many years, will have to go. Notwithstanding the careful measures advocated by the Government, the old potato apparently cannot withstand the blight disease. Further, tfce Up-to-date anil other varieties which have taken the place of the Derwent are also falling off more or less. Even in Southland/ where very little disease has been experienced, the white potatoes coming forward show blight quite clearly. New Zealand potatoes have always been greatly in request, ,but none have been shipped of late years. The white potato that is now grown in New Zealand is not' of good enough keeping quality to stand exportation. It is to this new potato, which no doubt will prove in time the nearest to being blight-probf, that we will have to look to both for our own use and for exportation." Mr. Newton King is agent tor this district.