Arizona republican., 1916-02-11
Arizona Republicans Editorial Page

We learn from the Literary Digest that attention has recently been directed to the scarcity of these seed pods by Edward F. Bigelow in the Guide to Nature He said that he had learned some thirteen years ago from Professor Guey of the Connecticut Agricultural College of the scarcity of the potato ball Professor GuIley said at that time he would give $25 for every such ball found in the state of Connecticut. It seemed Mr. Bigelow that it was only yesterday that he had seen thousands of such balls lying on ground in potato fields. But after making an eX- haustive search through and acres, he had found none
 He invited people from other parts of the state to join in the search and last he received package containing bals the sizes of peas, vestigial berries In thirteen years he has found potato ball such he had formerly seen- The search has been extended all over the country, from coast to coast and thousands of persons have been engaged in it. with the result only thirty real specimens have been found The finds were mostly vestisial berries Said Mir. Bigelow:
 As a result of my efforts during the past summer have obtained at cost of six dollars, less than thimblefu of the seed.
 Now. the question is What is going to happen to the potato crop when more seed is obtainab!e?' Most people know that what call the planting or eedpotatoes the planting of pieces of potato to raise crop; is really but sort of cutting as one might twigs of willow and set them in the ground produce new trees. Like grating It pro
 
 But when plant potato seed, 1t IS like planting apple seeds for do not know what will happen The seeds seem become insane and try to produce everything. Fortunate is the eXperimenter that finds in the varied potato seedlings some par tcuIar form that may be better than the original long ago gave up all attempt to attain fame and for originating early something equally epoch making, but find it interesting to experiment with the seeds, and get kaeidoscopic effects that conspicuousN manifest themselves about the second third year.
 These investigations have led to efforts to ascer tain where the United States the seed may be ob- tained. A number of correspondents have told me that Luther Burbank, of santa Rose, Calf, has plenty" Mr. Burbank throws the will-o the wisp clear the continent. and writes:
 The for the scarcity of potato seed is that the potatoes have been grown from cuttings so long has given up it's habit of going to seed It is somewhat difficult to obtain potato seed, but you can probably obtain it from of the nurseries or seed houses in Maine.
 Here is what the department of agriculture of the state of Maine says: "I do not know of any at present who is experimenting in growing potatoes seed The season has been so bad here in south ern Maine that I have any mature seed bOls l have home in little vial, probably several hundred. These several years old and do not know whether they would germnate not
 The extensive the correspondence, the more one is inclined agree with the great Dreer seed house Philadelphia when it writes: We regret to say that unable to furnish you with the potato balls, and do know any of supply for seeds
 Readers this is alarm cry. Potato seed is going from this country. All that be obtained should be put the hands of competent eXperi- What going to do when the present varieties of potatoes have run out" and no more seed can be obtained?