Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1920-10-12
AMONG THE FARMERS.
"sPEED THE PLOw."
New and Old Varieties Of Potatoes.

New and Old Varieties of Potatoes
Very soon after the purchase of Aroos
took Farm by the state, cooperative
studies with potatoes were begun Will
the United States Department Of Agri
culture. At present two bureaus anf
several divisions of the department arr
carrying on studies on different phases
OF potato culture In cooperation witt
the Maine Agricultural Experiment
Station. One of the important lines oi
work, aud which attracts attention from
all visitors, is the testing out of the
known varieties of potatoes and the pro-
duction and development OF new varle'
ties. This work with the Office OF Hor.
ticultural and Pathological Investiga
tlons is extensive and impresses the
visitor with its magnitude and possibili.
ties. But 1t is difficult to mako an equal.
iy impressive word picture. To say
that more than one hundred thousand
seedlings have been produced, grown
and tested through several years OF
time, 10 these days Of big figures gives
only faint idea of the amount of pains
taking work necessitated in growing,
harvesting and storing all these numb bers
Of kinds without getting them mixed.
The making and study of the data of
growth and yield are time.consumlng
beyond the thinking of the man who has
not tried to develop varieties for his
own seed.
From these seedlings there are now
sorts that through series of years have
shown vigor and form of tuber, together
with high yielding qualities, which
promises to make them more desirable
than the standard oommercial varieties
now grown. But the Department is pro-
ceeding cautiously for it appreciates
that varieties to replace those already
giving . satisfactory commercial return
must have superior qualities and pro-
ducing capacity. The testing of these
new and apparently more desirable
strains will be continued through a
series of years. If they prove to be as
productive as they now promise to be,
and II they continue to be as free from
disease as has been the case thus far,
these varieties will be likely to replace
some Of the commercial sorts now grown
in Maine and in other states.
Another somewhat analogous phase
of potato work that is conducted by this
Division in cooperation with the Station
Is the testing out of selected strains OF
existing varieties with the object of
developing vigorous, high-producipg
strains of seed. To this end the most
vigorous and best producing strains of
the standard commercial varieties com.
monty grown iu the state are obtained
from all sections of the country.
The plan is that these strains rs soon
as developed will be placed in the hands
OF the Maine Agricultural Experiment
Station to be propagated upon consid.
erable scale and disposed of In small
lots to growers within the state who
desire to secure the very best seed stock
obtainable.
This stock will first 90 to those who
will make 1t their business to grow pota-
toes for seed, and as rapidly as the sup
ply of seed can be increased, 1t will be
made available to the commercial grow
ers of the state through regular chan.
nels of trade. By this method 1t is be-
lieved that the quality, vigor and pro-
ducti7epess Of the seed supply can be
very greatly increased, and as . result,
the commercial growers will benefit
from the use of such seed in more GER
tain yield and larger yield.-Chas. D.
Woods, Director.