Middletown transcript., 1914-09-05
DELAWARE COLLEGE
Experiment Station in a Series Of
Potato Conferences
GERMAN SYSTEM OF INSPECTION

| OLNNAkA1N - OA E1s1 VI 1lVOI IL HUN
At a meeting of the Secretary of
Agriculture, Hon. D. F. Houston. DIR.
Harry Hayward, Dean of the College
of Agriculture appointed DR.. T. F.
Manns to represent the Delaware Col
lege Experiment Station in a series of
potato conferences, the object being
1.-The promotion of the breeding of new
productive and disease resistant varie-
ties, the production of improved strains
of standard varieties for seed purposes,
the elimination of diseases that are
carried by seed potatoes, and the intro
duction of an official system of seed in
spection and certlfcation with adequate
standard and safeguards. The aim of
the U. S. Department of Agriculture
was the bringing together of potato
specialists from the U. S. Department
and from the various states.
By special invitation, DR.. Otto Appel
of Berlin, Germany, probably the
greatest authority on the diseases of the
potato, was guest of the Department
of Agriculture on this occasion. DR..
Guessow, Plant Pathologist of the Do
minion of Canada was also a member of
the party in its trip through New Jer-
sey, Rhode Island and Maine. Promi-
nent among the American members of
the party were the following: DIR. w.
A. Orton representing the Department
of Agriculture; Prof. William Stuart,
in charge of potato Investigations for
the Department of Agriculture; Prof.
T. C. Corbett, acting assistant secretary
of Agriculture; Prof T C. johnson of
the Virginia Trucking Station repre-
senting Virginia and the strong truckers
Exchange at Norfolk; DIR. Mel. 7. Cook
of New Jersey; Prof. W. ]. More of
Maine, DR.. I. E. Melhus in charge of
the Federal Potato Inspection work in
Maine. Mr.. Leland, State Inspector
and Certifer of Seed Potatoes for Maine,
DR.. Lutman of Vermont, DR.. Reddick
of New York, DR.. Bessey of Michigan.
There were a score or more of other
scientific workers and potato breeders
who took in part of the trip, or who
participated in number of the con-
ferences. Many potato growers and
general farmers took much interest in
the work.
Much interest centered in Maine be-
cause of the Federal quarantine on
powdery scab. The U. S. Department
of Agriculture and the State authorities
of Maine have taken hold of the potato
situation in that State in an energetic
manner, and are making united eff
fort to limit the disease and improve
the seed potatoes. These things are
being accomplished along lines suggested
by the U. S. Departmental Agriculture,
following practices which have been in
vogue for some time in Germany. DR..
Appel told how Germany is developing
the potato industry to an enormous ex-
tent has become able to produce within
its confines the starchy foods required
to maintain its population when harassed
and hemmed in by its enemies. Germany
produces more than 1,500, 900, 600 bu-
shells of potatoes. Only IL per cent. of
this amount however is consumed di-
rectly as food by the population. The
average production for the United
States is less than 80 bushels per acre.
Our total production is around 300, ,00O,
900 bushels. We consume less than 3
bushels per capita per annum while
Germany consumes nearly bushels per
capital.
DR.. Appel also carefully explained
the German system of field inspection
and the certifcation of seed, and he
pointed out the great advantage of the
system. The inspectors visit the field
at blossoming time, when careful es-
innate of the amount of disease and i'm
purity of strain is noted. If the
amounts of disease and impurity were
too great to be erad;cated by ''roguing'
(pulling OUT no certificate for ''seed
use" would be issued for that particular
field.
The U. S. Department of Agriculture
following the lead of Germany in this
work, has proposed the following stan
dard and procedure for inspection and
certifcation of seed potatoes in Maine
and other states.
School VIII Omen Monday