WARNING TO POTATO GROWERS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81838, 3 September 1906, Page 2

WARNING TO POTATO GROWERS.

BEWARE THE TONGAPORUTU MIXTURE. WORSE THAN POTATO BLIGHT. DESTROYS GERMINATION. From time lo time many so called preventatives and antidotes for that potato scourge—blight—that decimated the potato crops of the colony last year, have appeared in the newspapers. Many were palpably absurd, and based on utter misconception of the disease. Unfortunately, many farmers, for their own weil being, are very credulous, especially if any new so-called remedy is propounded which calls for a minimum of labour and inconvenience. One specific that has had a large vogue amongst planters within the last few weeks is known to fame —or iU fame —as the Tongaporutu mixture. Some time ago, several Taranaki nevvspaters, acting on information supplied by Mr Eastwood, of Tongaporutu, who claimed to hav cused and demonstrated the worth of his mixture, published the formulae of the specific "for the benefit of their readers." This so-called specific for the prevention of bligh tin potatoes is as follows:—"61b of nitrate of potash and 61b of sulphate of ammonia, dissolved in 25 gaHons-f water (approximately 40z>of each to a gallon of water —same strength to be used for all seeds). The seed may bo soaked for 24 hours, and the potatoes allowed to dry for another 24 hours so as to avoid mildew." This ammonia and potash mixture apparently caught on. Chemists commenced to make it up into packages, and a number of grocers kept the two ingredients in bulk. The fame of this simple remedy spread far and wide, and at latest advices was going the rounds of the Australian Press. Whether or not potato growers outside Taranaki have commenced to use the mixture is not known, but in Northern Taranaki, at 'east, farmers and small planters have rushed in with their orders, to their prospective crop's undoing. Within the past week or two a number of planters who had treated their seed with "Tongaporutu" became concerned at the non - appearance of the young shoots, now some time overdue. One gentleman of an inquiring turn of mind in the Inglewood district seems to have been the first to make practical investigation regarding the tardiness of his crop's growl It, and he cauiionsiy removed the soil from the resting place of one of the "sets." Nothing, however, could be found to denote that he had ever planted there, and he commenced to doubt his senses, or his neighbours' honesty. Proceeding further with his investigations, however, he at length discovered some remains of potatoes in a condition of more or less putrefaction. The seed had rotted in 'the ground." liuickly the news spread abroad, and other growers proceeded to investigate their plantings. Not in all cases, though, had the tubers rotted ; in some they were found apparently healthy, but with their powers of germination evidently destroyed, not a sign of a sprout being seen. Within the past few days dozens of corroborating cases have been reported' from all over the district, growers in and around New Plymouth being heavy 'osers. At the same time, however, a case has been brought to our no ticc of a grower, who treated his tubers with the mixture, and planted them wholo, whose crop has so far progressed satisfactorily. It may be, however, that ho was one who failed to ' follow " the ; published dnections implicitly. That particular instance notwithstanding, there is no doubt that a very heavv loss has been occasioned by the use of Mr Eastwood's specific, and growers would be studying their best interests if they confined theniselyes to Bordeaux and other mixtures which have proved their efficacy. It is understood that Mr Eastwood claims that he has never had anything go wrong with seed which he had treated, but it is very evident his prescription, so far at least as the public have l ca rnt it from the newspapers, is not only a preventative for blight, but a preventative of germination as well. \y e have becn shown a number of potatoes thai were treated exactly according to di rect.on, and which within a weak or so had withered up to about half their original size, become blackened and uninviting, and evidently been completely destroyed for all purposes. p, )1?t „ b!ißhti bad as .11; commercially „ wre circumstance compared with such blight specifics ■is tongaporutu mixture" " ' ■■