THE POTATO BLIGHT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7994, 4 December 1905, Page 3

THE POTATO BLIGHT.

THE EXPERTS STRAYJNO J)l-3-UONSTRA.TION. The Irish potato blight, which ruined so nmny crops last season, kaa »pp*rcirtly lost none of its terror for the horticulturist. Its exterminatii.T) is simply a question of time, but gardeners nre wise not to await the arrival of thnt period, a s in the meantime the scourge will have devastate! vrcry crop of potato's iu the colony. The iH-partment of Agriculture, recognising tlie iteriousn ss of the visitation, has detailed several of its fruit experts to give practical instructions in spraying potatoes, an.l this method of treatment 'hns prove*! most efficacious wherever applied. Oil Saturday morning, Mr A.' 11, Sinriis, Government Fruit Expert, have a demonstration in Mr A. Hooker's garden niljuining the Courtenay stroet (school. About thirty , school teachers attended the exhibition. which was allowed to take the place of the usual weekly lesson on the science of 'horticulture. Mr Simnis expl;iinv:l that the Department lmd originally recommended the use of a solution of Milestone and lime In water in the following proportions : —milestone (sulphate of copper) 41b; fresh unslaked lime, 41b ; and 40 gallons of water. Ow-ingl to the dim culty, however, of obtaining fresh lime growers were rocommemled to use 5Tb of washing soda instead o' (he lime. The first solution is generally'known as the "Hordeaux mixture." In Saturday's demonstration the soda was used, a side delivery cyclone nozzle rendering it possible to reach the whole of the foliage, rt was pointed out that the spray mieit reach tliv under side of the leaves, for there the fungus is chie'ly develo|h*d. Two pumps were us-il, the first being a strong one for which two men were required—one to pump ami tile other to spray ; the otlvr wan a knapsack pump, operated by one man only, spraying with one hand and pumping with the otfr.T. The mixture was applied at the rate of about 7~i gallons to tho acre.

At tlm coHcliiHicn. of the ■denumstrntitm, Mr Siinms answeroil (juestious ask(<d -l>y those present. lie ilalpillhat the I>i'j>artni(Tit the ufo of "Vermorite," which some local growers have us<il with gornl oftei't. Th« potato Might, he said, would spread' to broad beans, tomato plants, jicns, and fcryKnntho murns. If ho (Mr Sirnms) liad a ■rnnli-n h;i would 'fjirny risct'rtiiinin« first, of course, what tort of mixture could ix- safe'y usi'tl i n the Various klndfl of ganliii proluce. Mr W. E. Spencer Fiiggentel tho jse cf caustic si/da instead of wnshng soda. From n chemist's point of 'iew, he saifl, one part of caustic sctla would do as much w-erk as six jf washing stxia. Mr Simtns said he was prepared to try it.