WATKATO TURNIP DISEASE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 790, 13 April 1910, Page 8

WATKATO TURNIP DISEASE.

•"/" ''its' nature. ■;

Early in>.the season Auckland farmers looked forward confidently to a record crop of turnips, .but owing to the devasta-; tion of blight and turnip disease this.has now, been - transformed; -into a* comparative, if not" a total'failure. The "IVaikato Argus" has been interviewing leading',farmers,as,to ..the.nature and extent of \ the diseases which have appeared. One said his crop looked magnificent; ho had never seen such growth in a short time; but.within two days the whole field assumed a sickly appearance, and upon examination he found that the roots, when pulled, came up easily} and- were quite, rotten under thegroundy while the. leaves, lay on the'isurfaco likeKa. carpet..:' ';•; Another -saidv-nis'swedes-'looked ' like: rape,.so great was the growth, but they suddenly took a peculiar appearance, and he..cxamined;.them,. : ; to find tliat the crowns were quite .rotten. The .rot extended down' in the centre of the root, and'had a most offensive smell. .In .other- cases .the', leaves' first, showed, sighs-of disease, which appeared'in round spots,, like potato blight, and spread gradually until the whole crop had a very unhealthy appearance; but these give the best hope of /recovery, for.: while tho bulb and Toots areunafiected' bydisease there is always hope for. turnips..