PERTINENT PARS PERTAINING TO POTATOES.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 681, 4 November 1921, Page 5

PERTINENT PARS PERTAINING TO POTATOES.

(To the Editor).

Sir,—There is only one effective method of dealing with potato fcnght, and that is to make spraying compulsory- We have laws for eompuL sorv' destruction of rabbits, black berry and noxious weeds generally. We have laws, rigidly enforced, which have proved' the saviour of the fruit industry in this country. Why not laws, compulsorily enforced, for the purpose of combatting and minimising a disease which is fleecing the pockets of potato-growers of tens pf thouPMs of pounds yearly. A considerable factor in the dissemination of potato blight is the indiscriminate Planting of doubtful seed. In setsbns when planting is popular there is not the necessary s_.net attention to seed selection. Hence we see in seasons of restricted planting a comparatively small proportion of blight, no doubft, because growers have better opportunity of planting the best seed. The time may come when seed potatoes will be sold on a certificate of cleanliness, and it a serious attempt is made to effectually fight potato blight, a clean founbv the use of disease-free seed from disease free crops should Tbe enforced. Another factor m the spread of disease spores to clean ctods is allowing self sets to grow unchecked in fields laid ,to grass after potatoes. As the vitality ofthe plant is weakened by the growth of grass, the potato is more susceptible to blight, and it will be noted that in such Circumstances, as no ettort is made to control the disease, spores are wafted to some adjoining crop on the first favourable opportunity. Referring to merchr.ns’ troiiDles vvith diseased potatoes, such troubles.might be minimised by shipping to ms-an markets only such potatoes as are warranted by the grower as being from a blight-free crop, and the grower paid a price, say, £1 per ton ovefc rulirior local makret rate. Duiing the last twelve months a Pukekohe Growers’ Association has been in existence. In common with similar organisations, the apathy of. growers to* their own interests limits the value of such a body’, The aim. has been the securing of a better price for potatoes and onions. 1 am firmly convinced that the growers, best scheme of organisation is on the growing end. To produce more at less cost from a less area should be the aim of every grower. , Pukekohe growers, I do believe, can give points to any part of New Zealad in “intensive cultivation, and yet we are’ only on the fring of what can be accomplished, and that in the near future, land values with still greater' intensive cultivation will, I am very sure, appreciate 100 per cent, during the next five or six years. By representation from the Pukekohe Growers’ Association, an officer ot the- Department of Agriculture has visited Pukekohe on several occasions. The aim of the Association is to lave an experimental area established! here, under the direct supervision of the Agricultural Department, the purpose of whicb would be to make exhaustive trials of different varieties of potatoes, under fie d conditions ; the careful selection ana reselection of seed tubers, -.r.anunat trials, spraying demonstrations and such other experiments as would be in the interests of the potato-grow-irf; industry. It may be mentioned that the officers of the Department seem very keen on establishing such an area here. Recently an address of an instructive and interesting nature was delivered by Mr Small field. As an illustration of lamentable apathv, a mere handful of growers turned up to listen to the actdi ess. In the face of this lack of interest on the part of growers, it would not 1 bo surprising if this fins oppoitun-

ity of; having a Government * experimental area in the Pukekohe district is shelved indefinitely. As Lam a novice-in potato and onion growing it is with some diffidence that I pen these few remarks, but it may open 'the way for that will prove of value to an industry that has stood ;to the prosperity of Pukekohe in the past, and will doubtless 'do so in the future. Briefly summarised, my ideas for the betterment of potato growing is as follows :* — 1. Compulsory spraying. 2. Compulsory selection of di- ' sease-free seed. 3. Attention to self sets in grass paddocks. 4. All seed imported, from outside districts to be sold with disease-free certificate from actual grower. 5. Establishment of experimental area for the purpose of seed selection, and introduction of new varieties. 1 6. Manuria trials, by green crops and artificial fertiisers. I am, et., O. HERDEGEN. Pukekohe, 28th October, 1921.