§ Mr. CHARLES BATHURSTasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether, in view of the spread of black scab in potatoes in several districts in England, and its special prevalence in Scotland, whence many English potato growers are obtaining seed potatoes with the object of increasing the weight of their crops and reducing the risk of potato disease, the Board will take steps, if necessary by statutory enactment, to prohibit the sale of all seed potatoes infected with the scab, and to penalise all persons selling such potatoes with full knowledge of their diseased condition?
§ Sir E. STRACHEYThe Board have under consideration the issue of an Order which will render it an offence to sell potatoes for seed if they are known to be affected with scab. The disease in field crops, from which seed potatoes are obtained, is rare in Scotland. It is practically confined to cottage gardens.
§ Mr. CHARLES BATHURSTIs not it a fact that potatoes for Scotland have been sold extensively for seed purposes in Lancashire and Cheshire particularly?
§ Sir E. STRACHEYI will inquire.