Potato Scab03
Waupaca Record
THE POTATO SCAB
The 1907 crop of potatoes was rather poor, taking the crop as a whole and consequently good seed is scarce this spring. On account of this there will be some low grade seed used this year; hence the necessity of bringing into use the formalin method of treatment for scab.
Some time ago we gave the formula for treating potatoes, and we hope that those of our readers who have already planted their early potatoes took the precaution to treat their seed especially where the seed was in any way infected with scab. For the benefit of those who have not yet planted we will say that the treatment is simplicity itself. Use one pint of formalin which is a 40 per cent solution of formaldehyde, to thirty-five gallons of water. Soak the potatoes in this mixture for a period of two hours, and if there is no scab in the ground the chances are that the crop will be clean.
A
good method is to place the potatoes in gunny sacks and immerse them in barrels
or in a tank. Formalin is a powerful
disinfectant, but it is not a poison when mixed in the proportions
mentioned. Of course, we would not
advise leaving it so stock could get at the mixture, but it is not a deadly
poison ad that is why we have always been a strong advocate of its use. –