POTATO DISEASE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 25 August 1909, Page 21

POTATO DISEASE.

MELBOURNE, August 18. The Inter-State Conference was 'opened by tbe Minister of Agriculture, who said that the chief subject for discus^on was the potato and fruit diseases, dealing with which he was framing legislation. August 23. At a conference with the Minateer of Agriculture a series of resolutions was adopted for inter-State co-operation dealing with vegetation diseases. In regard to the Irish blight, it wacs decided that immediate and uniform action ehould be taken with a view to checking - the spread, and also a careful investigation be made of the^ infected areas. Only new bags or cases used in sending potatoes from one State to another will be quarantined. The conference decided that a Federal Bureau of Agriculture was at present unnecessary. bYDNEY, August 18. The Assembly disoissed the potato disease. The Minister promised drastic action to prevent <he spread of the blight. August 23. Efforts are being made to induce the Government to allow the importation . of New Zealand potatoes ■bearing the ' Agricultural Department's certify ,that they sue free' from disease. ADELAIDE, August 18. The Irish blight has been discovered in this State, but, as far as is known, only a limited area is affected. ffOBART, August 20. Mr Kirk, the New Zealand Government Pathologist, has pronounced the sample of potatoes that he examined as •infected with Irish blight. He says that it 16 , possible to control but not to eradicate it if it has once obtained a foothold.