Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-10-31

The time to obtain your seed pota-
toes for the 1925 planting season is
right now, before too many are
shipped outside the State. 1t Is O.
we'll known fact that in a year when
prices are high, the trade does not
demand as close grading as in an
average season and before this ship
ping season is over, it may be that
the market will take many potatoes
that some years would be undesir-
able This being the case. the ten
dency will be for the Maine grower
to ship all his good ones and go even
farther than this and sell great
many of his seconds. This will leave
on the farm only the culls of the crop
which are not fit for seed any year.
In 1919, the last time prices were
high, there is no doubt but what our
growers in a great many cases sold
themselves short and the next season
planted a very inferior grade OF
stock. The lesson was a costly one
and the last five seasons have been
spent in securing better seed until
this year probably the best seed that
was ever used in Maine was planted.
There is no way of telling what por-
ton of this years crop was due to
good seed but after going through an
adverse growing season such as we
had, it can be safely said that poor
seed would not have raised fifty per
cent. of the crop which we have. The
department has on file records OF in
spection on more than $4,000 acres OF
potatoes which, while only about IA
per cent. of the total crop. gives a
very fair index of the kind of seed
which has been used. This article Is
intended as an appeal to our Maine
growers to save the very best they
have for their contemplated acreage
for 1926 and even though potatoes go
to eight dollars a barrel or more, 1t
will not pay any grower to give up
his good seed and take chance on
anything else. A few years ago,
there was quite bit of criticism
going around about Maine losing its
prestige in the seed trade. Owing to
the fact that our farmers have been
using better seed this year, this feel
ing has been entirely wiped out and
Maine has regained its former pres
tige until there is no other state IN
the union that sells as many seed
potatoes over such wide area,
shipping last year into about twenty
six states.
The Presque Isle report for We'd
nesday. October %. shows that there
has already been shipped from
Maine to date 10,469 cars. This
means that about thirty per cent. OF
the total crop has already been
moved. This is a season of unusual
conditions in the potato world and
before it is too late, plans should be
made for next year. The growers
who are specializing in certified seed
will have to be more careful than the
table stock growers because founda-
ton stock or seed that will pass in
spection is not so easily located.
Every potato grower knows tnat
Green Mountains which will meet the
State requirement of three per cent.
Mosaic are very hard to locate and
it is one of the immediate problems
Of those interested in seed potatoes
TO levelop a better source of Green
Mountain seed.
From correspondence being re-
ceived in the department every day.
it can be safely said that our grower S
are going to be asked to sell seed in
territory that is not commonly
thought of as part of our field. An
inquiry was received this morning
from ST. Matthews. Kentucky. which
is only one of many that are being
received every day.
To sum up briefly what the depart
lnejit has in mind is that there is
very unusual demand for seed stock
as well as table stock from Maine and
it is for the best interests of our own
growers to protect themselves, and
keep their best seed for another yea
rather than let it go. 1t takes m or>
than two million bushels Of seed 10
plant our potato crop each year and
at the prevailing market prices, TINS
means that we are holding back what
would bring US lot of money but 1T
is well worth the while because there
is no such thing as cheap seed am
the sooner we all recognize this fact
the better off the industry as whole
will be.
Anyone wishing for information as
to who has good seed for sale can be
advised by writing to the State De-
1artment OF Agriculture.