Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-06-23
STATE HOUSE
How Department of Agriculture
Inspects ArOostook Pota-
toes - 10000 Cars
In Fifteen Weeks
RAILROAD MATTERS VIC.
LATIONS OF GAME LAW

State Horticulturist A. X. Gardiner
who for the past four months has been
located at Presque Isle, where he has
been supervising the inspection of
Arooktook potatoes, was at the State
department of agriculture Monday
morning ard gave the follow
ing interest account of the work which
has been carried on in that part of the
State:
For the first IA weeks the depart
ment certified 1853 cars or an average
of about SIS cars week, very nearly
100 cars day. OF this number 1475
cars have been certified as seed stock,
or about 16 per cent. of the entire ship
ment. This does not take into consid-
Grafton the small lots OF seed cempos-
ed of less than rs barrels which has
gone as way freight.
Starting in with an inspection force
of 81 it has now been cut down to
about 20. The inspection has beeh in
operation now Is weeks, the present
week being the 10th. and it is expected
that before the season is finally wound
up the department will have certified
very close to 10000 cars. Indications
are that the 81 per car will cover all
the expenses Notwithstanding the fact
that some weeks the production has
not been sufficient to offset tae many
expenses.
In accordance with the assurance of
DR.. orion that no regulations relative
to the quarantine will be adopted
without first laying them before the
growers of Aroostook, the Federal
board sent their proposed regulations,
which arrived June II. There were
some features in the regulations which
did not seem to be practical under the
conditions, due no doubt to a misun-
derstanding between the Federal board
and the State authorities in regard to
the State certification for purity of
type, etc. The growers held a meet
ing at Caribou on Friday, June 10,
and after they had discussed the reg
ulations exhaustively committee was
appointed TO foreward to the Federal
board-in session, Monday, June %
their objections TO the features which
were not satisfactory. No doubt wheE
the board understands the situation 1t
will take active measures to adopt
either new regulations in regard to the
seed or a workable amendment
1T is to be hoped that the many
growers both in Aroostook and in 9TH
er parts of the State will cooperate
with the department and the Seed I'M
provement Association in the matter
OF State certication. In this GER
cication powdery seab is only in
cidental and some other things
Of equal Importance are to be
taken up. II must be acknowledge
ed that Maine has sent some poor seed
into the South as we'll as some ex-
tremely good seed. This certificate as
l understand it, aims at the future
seed business rather than quick re-
suits this year. The greatest, import
ance should be attached to the selec-
ton of our own seed in order that our
crops may be increased and that we
attain degree of purity and strength
in the future far superior to that of
the present. Some of the diseases such
as blackleg, scab. etc, can undoubtedly
be either stamped out or reduced to
minimum by careful cultural methods
and inasmuch as we have big loss
in shrinkage We should endeavor to
leave no stone unturned in our efforts
to eradicate them"