The circle banner., 1924-09-12
Montana Growers Afforded
Ready Market Inn Louisiana
For Certified Seed Potatoes

lbeing quite generally used through
out these states, despite the fact
that such seed produced SO per cent
less than northern certified seed. 1t
will be but a question of short
time before the farme1s of these
states awaken to the value of the
northern product and that will mean
very rapid increase in demand. The
potential market there is difficult to
estimate but, according to the Louis
| lana porfessor, it will be enormous.
Explaining the method used in his
state, to bring about more general
use of certified seed, Professor Tie
bout stated that growers from cer-
titled seed producing states were in
duced to send samples of free seed
to Louisiana for trial. Seed so re-
ceived was divided into eight pound
lots and given to Louisiana potato
club boys and girls to be grown un-
der the supervision and direction of
experienced club leaders. Each boy
or girl on the first year of his or her
entry in the work received an eight
pound sack of certified potatoes,
each sack containing the name and
address of the grower and the cer-
tification tag of the association to
which the grower belonged. care
full record of the growing of the po-
tatoes and their outcome was re-
quired of each club member. In this
manner the potatoes received a wide
distribution throughout the state, |
they were grown under as careful
supervision as possible, an accurate
Of re M h
while comparisons were possible and |
certified seed growers were given the
best possible publicity. AS a result
of this method of extension work, |
fathers and neighbors of the boys and |
girls growing certified stock were /
convinced of the superiority of such
seed and this brought on general
demand the following season. Pro-
fessor Tiebout recited an instance
which occurred in community with
which he was we'll acquainted. A
carload of certified seed was distrib-
tied amongboys and girls club mem
)ers the first year. The following II
vear 35 carloads were used and the
prospects for next year are that from
IS to 100 carloads of certified seed
,otatoes will be used in this one Sec
ion alone.
A part of the effort of Professor
riebout during his trip to the north
,rn states was to familiarize growers,
extension workers and railroads with
heir plan of operation and to en-
ourage more general use of this ex-
client system of advertising. North
rn railroads will be asked to parti-
.ipate in this work in the same way
hat the railroads of the south have
elped out. There the railroads car
y seed potatoes which were to be
sed in club work, free of charge.
Professor Harrington states that !
1ontana will continue sending seed
otatoes to Louisiana for testing pur- l
oses, and that an effort will be made s
his year to send carload, and per-
APPS two to be used by the Loisiana I
Extension Service in it's club work, !
1us bringing the Montana produc- !
rs more directly into the view of S
lie Louisiana growers. The testing a
-ork carried on in previous years i
as been very valuable because 4
trough these tests it has been pos v
BILE to bring about a direct COM a
arison between Montana potatoes L
nd those from other states, and Mon d
ina has not suffered by the COM :
arison. During the past year this I
ork was financed by the Montana 1
evelopment Association, and by fees n
,llected in the work of inspecting a
,rtified potatoes.