Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1918-07-16
Better Seed Potatoes.
COOPERATIVE WORK ON SEED POTATO
IMPROVEMENT.

In . previous number Of this series o
letters mention WAS made of the potat
breeding work carried on at Aroostool
farm by the horticulturists of the BureaV
OF Plant Industry In cooperation will
the Maine Agricultural Experiment Sta
ton. One Of the principal objects oI
this work is the improvement of tn
potato seed stock used, not only In Main,
but throughout the country. Informs
ton just received indicates that tb,
scope Of certain features of this work Il
to be materially broadened in the nea
future as war emergency measure.
The Office Of Horticultural and Pomo
logical Investigations expects to receive
an allotment from the general emergenc,
agricultural appropriation, for seeG
potato Improvement work during The
fiscal year 191S-19; which win be suf
ficient to secure important and lasting
results. While the allotment will be sd
ministered by the Office mentioned, this
seed potato Improvement work will be 9
joint project with the Office of Cotton
Truck and Forage Crop Investigations,
which latter is especially concerned with
potato disease and which is also carry.
ing on work In Maine in cooperation
with this Station.
In one phase of this new work It is
proposed to stress the Importance of the
'home seed potato plot" The methods
OF conducting this work have not been
fully developed but 1t is the intention to
work In close cooperation with existing
agencies in the various states concerned,
which are engaged In agricultural exteu-
sion in general and potato improvement
work in particular. Potato specialists,
both the practical growers and those en-
gagged in the study Of the technical
problems which concern the potato in.
dustry are all agreed that the very best
seed tubers are none too good for plant
ing. In fact certain large growers have
made large gains by systematically
eliminating the weak, unproductive and
diseased strains. It is now proposed to
take these methods which have been
found successful and profitable to the
individual farmer or small grower and
to assist him in their application.
As has already been suggested none OF
this work will be carried on in such a
manner as to duplicate that already
under way in the several states where 1t
will be undertaken. The aim will be to
cooperate with existing agencies and to
supplement what they are doing.
A further allotment from the emer-
gency appropriation Is to become avail
able after July /, for "Seed Potato De-
velopment Work." This is purely a
project of the Office of Horticultural and
Pomologicali Investigations and is more
closely related to the potato breeding
work conducted in cooperation with this
Station at Aroostook Farm.
The plan under this project is to Be-
cure the best strains of Green Mountain,
Irish Cobbler and Rural with the idea
of testing the yielding capacity, vigor
and freedom from disease of the several
strains of each group of potatoes with
the object of retaining the best for in
crease the following season. Such In
crease to be available for purchase In
small lots by up-to-date seedsmeu or
potato growers who are desirous of OBJ
tanning good strain of potatoes.
Present plans contemplate the exten-
sion of this project to each OF the i'm
portant seed producing sections In the
northern tier of states. The work has
begun on small scale this season In
Maine, Wisconsin and Minnesota. 1t is
proposed to try out the strains selected
for 1919 at each of these Stations. That
is, small quantity of seed tested in
Maine will be tried out in Wisconsin and
Minnesota, and similarly the Wisconsin
and Minnesota seed will be tested In
Maine. When the 1919 seed Of early
varieties becomes available sample lots
from each of the Stations mentioned will
be tested out side by side at one or more
points in the South. The object OF this
last test Is to determine the best source
of seed supply of any given variety for
the South and Southwest.-Chas. D.
Woods, Director.