THE POTATO BLIGHT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1690, 6 March 1906, Page 3

THE POTATO BLIGHT.

j;To the Editor Gisborne Times, Sir,— Lately arrived in New Zealand daring my late trip to tho East Coast, I have heard from people who have endeavored to find out the cause and nature of this disastrous affi cion, and who have watched the growth of the potatoes carefully, and from what I have been told, it appears that the blight is caused by an ins sect in the shape of a molb. It appears that people who have watched their crops, have gone out at night with lanterns, and have seen million of very minute moths alight on tbe potato crops. The nsxt morning they found that the underside of tho potato leaf was covered with minute eggs, and it was afterwards found that after three or four days’ exposure to tho beat of the sun, developing into a very small caterpillar or grub almost invisible to the naked eye. About two days after these insects come to life, the whole of tbo leaves of the crop wither up, and it appears that the bite of one of these minute insects has the efftoS of instilling some property into tbo veins of the leaves, which descend along the stalk to tbe potato itself at the root. _ The remedy in odo case is that immediately tho orop is found to bo affected to mow tbe tops off with a seythe. This willnot affect the growth of the potato. And the best pieventative is to take' oare that the potatoes are planted wherever possible, so that they be dry in December or beginning, as the moth does not acquire winßs, aud is therofore unable to get on to the orop before tbo middle of January. The three kinds of potato best adapted for quiok growth aud early malu-ity- are the Early Rose, tho Up to-date, and Early Regent, otherwise White Maiwha, or aoy potatoes that will grow quiokly and mature easily. Cf course, it is advisable ’ seleot soil whioh has not been afficied by the moth, —I am, etc , i A CORRESPONDENT.