TASMANIAN POTATOES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 542, 24 June 1909, Page 7

TASMANIAN POTATOES.

~ i. ■ ——« .■ ■PREVALENCE OF lUJST: - . (By Telegraph—Press Aosociation.—OopyrichU . s ■: Sydney, June 23. :, Tho' prevalence of: brown., and dry in Tasmaniari. potatoes led to tho Department of Agriculture : empowering inspectors to condemn tubers'sufforiog from :theso diseases. ' \- v' .This is having a considerable effect, on the supply, and causing uneasiness regarding tho future. ' Out bf fifteen thousand bags which on Monday, two thousand Lave been condemned, and the inspection .is not'yet com- 1 ploted.. -■ !• • Local growers on the North Coast, who last year obtained 1 seed from Tasmania, also find- | .their crop; seriously infccted with' rust. ..-v--, n ': NEW SOUTH WALES COMMENTS.

'' "The-Department of Agriculture (writes, the' "Sydney Morning Herald ) is to bo commended for taking action' to guard against the introduction 1 ! of diseased -potatoes ■ from Tasmania, arid it is ; to bo .hoped that ceaseless, vigilance will bei maintained in', this direction. ' We cannot: afford to take the risk of spreading these troubles, especially brown rust, 'which is very bad in some portions of the island* We ■ havo quite enough of that'sort of thing, as'it is, aud the Department, indeed; might take moro strenuous steps to. get. our own crops clean, in addition to guarding against'the risk of further infection .from outside. .".The.position. : of the potato industry in-Tas-mania appears. to be becoming most , serious. 1 here'has. been a gradual .deterioration, in the potato'for the ]a9t:2o years, and now, brown rust.,.is causing: great loss. Potatoes affected with: this rot perish remarkably • quickly, aud are not even fit'for pig feed. : One Tasmaniau grower, for instance, who estimated' a few weeks ago that he was'going to dig 100 tons from a ltacre paddock, has now' found thatthe orop is not worth digging.'- Reasons ao.counting'.for the.spread of this disease on theJ north-west..coast 01 Tasmania differ, nor does i thero Bee in an j sound cause stated. : Some growers blaioer;the 1 us© of artificial * manures,'! and pthers : tho'atroosplicric; conditions of last season. - Careless methods of cultivation and selection of seed are 'probably responsible as much, as anything,. and it is in this respect that our own growers want to exercise more car®'- lnereis a tendency towards using poor L l:i,a great mistake;:. . "■ .Vy ailo "'the position is seriouß in Tasmania potato-growers.in Victoria are also in trouble, and t seed from that State will require watch-' >ng, .on account of the; prevalence of scab' Growers there have'been very carel ss of : late and consequently, the authorities have had.' t" take strong, steps to bring about better' con"' .ditions, owing to the export (trade being soriaffected. Viotorian potatoes havo been condemned, both by the New South Wales and South Australian officers. Scab has long been-prevalent in some Vibtorian districts an#' unlike rust, docs not render the potatoes' unfit forhumanjconsumption, although their seed should not be allowed, v . 'At K m ' M.rcell;,to remember that wo cannot afford to thro\v stoues, and should take'stens to. ge^ our own .house, or rather po^wS