Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-07-07
No Potatoes Shall Be Moved
From Guaranteed Area Un-
less Certified as Fit for Table
Or Seed and Properly Packed
INSPECTION ESPECIALLY
STRICT FOR ALL SEED
New Shipment Regulations
The New Rules Expected to
Afford Better Protection for
Purchaser and Grower

Washington. July 6.-The new regula-
tons governing the shipment of potatoes
from Maine. which the presence of pow
derry scab in that State has neeessitated,
have now been promulgated by the
United States Department of Agricul-
ture and will take effect on August l.
These regulations supersede the inspec-
ton hitherto carried on by the State
authorities and are primarily designed
to prevent the spread of powdery scab
to other sections of the country. With
this end in view the inspection is made
especially strict for all seed stock. This
must be grown from clean seed and in
soil not infected with powdery scab and
have been free from contact with any
thing through which they might have
become infected with the disease.
The regulations provide that no pota-
toes shall be moved from any quaran-
tined area unless they are duly certified
as fit for either table or seed use and
are packed in accordance with certain
specified rules. To obtain the necessary
certificates for shipments, growers must
apply for inspection by a Federal in
spector and all potatoes intended for
seed use must be stored and handled
according TO certain prescribed methods.
Lots in which any of the potatoes are
found to be infected with powdery scab
or any similar disease will not be eerti-
fed under any circumstances for seed
use. They may. however, be certified for
table use after the diseased potatoes are
removed and destroyed
The inspection will not be carried out
in any warehouse in WHICH the light is
inadequate or where conditions are un-
favorable for thorough work The in
spectors must at all times have access
to any part of the warehouse or car.
Furthermore. all seed potatoes must be
packed for shipment in sacks or other
suitable containers which do not hold
more than $50 pounds net weight: and
these sacks must never have been used
before for holding potatoes. 1t is pro-
vided. however, that associations of ship
pers having suitable facilities outside of
the State of Maine may ship to them
selves in carload bulk under certain stip-
ulations. All containers that have been
passed for shipment are to bear a card
with the words seed Potatoes or table
potatoes" printed on it. This card will
be issued by the Federal inspectors only
and must be signed or :n.tialed by the
man who issues it. certificate must
also be issued for each separate con-
sisnment. one copy of which will be re-
tanned by the inspector, another copy by
the railroad and the third by the con-
signor of the goods
The rigid enforcement of these regula-
tons will, 1t is believed. afford the nee
essary protection to all purchasers of
seed potatoes AIe interfering as little
IS possible with the business of the
growers. Copies of the regulations can
be obtained from the United States De-
partment of Agriculture at WASHINGTON.
d. c. The headquarters for the nspec-
ton service for Maine will be located al
Caribou, Aroostook Co. W. B. Clark is
superintendent of inspection for the Fed
eral Horticultural Board.