Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-04-20
STATE HOUSE.
Will Advocate Experiments
In the Potato Culture.
One Of Objects Of Maine Seed
Improvement Association.
Automobile Registration Having
Big Boom This Month.
STATE HOUSE CALENDAR,
Next Meeting Of Governor and Council
Friday, April 20, at 10 A. M.

provcnent Association in the way of
sending out to such members of the
association as may desire samples of
seed for experimental purposes. and in
which the association is receiving the
assistance of the department of agri
culture. is the distribution OF potatoes,
each lot of which is accompanied by Il
circular giving information Oh the sub
ject The text of the circular is as
follows:
PRIMARY purpose of work: Breed
ing strains Of each of the commercially
important varieties Of potatoes which
shall be high yielding.
Work in 1910: Obtain the best and
purcst seed of the variety you select
which you can find Go over the seed
very carefully and reject all badly
shaped, abnormal, understood and di
seascd tubers. Disinfcct the seed with
formaldehyde (sec Maine Experiment
Station circulars, 300 and $3.50
Plant plat OF this seed, not too
large to be given personal attention.
and not so large but that you person.
ally can dig the potatoes by hand. We
would recommend that the size of this
plat be about 400 hills
Give the plat the same treatment
as to ca soil conditions, 90 fertilizing,
tc) cultivation and (d) spraying. which
is given to the main crop.
IF you desire to select for earliness
go through the field several times dur
ing the season and tag the plants
furthest along at those times. Keep
record of date of blooming of selected
plants.
I'm digging the potatoes save as
seed only hills possessing strong up
right tops and having six or more mer-
charitable tubcrs, of fairly uniform size
and the shape typical for the variety,
and containing no small. mishapen or
diseased tubers. Ten hills 50 selected
will give sufficient seed for plat work
in 1911.
Keep the tubers from each Of the
selected seed hills separate. and give
each lot of seed from one hill IA num-
Der
weigh the tubers from each select
ed hill and divide by the total number
OF tubers thus getting the average
weight
Keep full notes as tu-Sizc Of plat
ana character of soil, date of planting
fertiliZing. date of blooming, date dug.
yield Of whole plat. and any other
items in which you may be Interested.
Keep record of yield Of gcncldl crop
for 1910 for comparison.
Work for 1911: Plant the 1910 So
lected seed in such way that the
progeny of each original hill will he
kept together.
Repeat selections as in 1910 work.
In digging it will doubtless be found
that the progeny Of certain original
nils IS not as good as that of others
Reject the lines which do rot mcas,r"
up to standard"
Included in the circular is a scheme
Tor the use of the grower of the I,nia-
toes IN keeping Il record of the work.
space being allotted for the record of
each of the 10 hills planted under the
following headings: Selected hill
number number of tub"rS. weight of
tub"rS. average weight of single t,rher.
planted in 1911 in. plat and row
The circular is accompanied hy a
blank to be filled out by the expert
mentor as follows:
Name and address. Sccd-Varicty
and name of potato. where and from
whom was seed secured. was seed
grown from selected seed was seed
treated for scab. how.
Soil-What was. the nature of Your
potato soil. what crops were raised on
it in 1909 1908 and 1907 Fertilizer
used in the three above years. also the
brand. amount and formula.
preparation of soil-Spring or fall
ploWed. depth plowcd, narrowed how
many times. kind of harrow. amount of
manure applied. when. amount. brand
ana formula of fertilizer used, when
and how applied.
Planting-Datc planted rows how
Tar apart amount of seed planted. hills
now far apart, state weight OF seed
pieces. hand or machine planted what
machine. what was size of your field
length IN rods, width i'm rods, condi-
ton of soil at time of planting
Early growth of potatoes-Datc po-
tatoes first appeared above ground
strong or weak. even or uneven