l68 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



Had we a small appropriation there are a certain class of these 

 cases where it might be advisable to remit the fee, especially 

 those fields which are turned down on the second inspection. 



To save expense and get the work done as cheaply as pos- 

 sible your secretary did not employ any inspector outside of 

 Aroostook county, but he undertook to do all the inspection 

 work outside of Aroostook. This was enough to keep one man 

 busy, could all of his time have been devoted to it ; but with 

 the office work, which had to have more or less attention, the 

 inspection work has in several cases dragged along much more 

 than it should, or is advisable. 



Out of the 89I acres of potatoes entered outside of Aroos- 

 took, 13 were disqualified on the first inspection and 15 acres 

 on the second — only 61^ acres passing for certification. In the 

 case of oats, 17^ acres were disqualified and three acres with- 

 drawn on account of rust. 



The cost of the work outside of Aroostook county has been 

 approximately $111.82 and there has been collected $105.50, 

 with $127.25 still outstanding. As there were several small 

 amounts collected from the season of 191 5, the total amount 

 of collections for field inspections during 1916 were $816.50, 

 with $239.75 still due and collectible. This shows that the 

 field work has been nearly self-sustaining. For the final inspec- 

 tion there has been collected $204.30. Expense bills to Decem- 

 ber I amount to $193.25, not including the bill for tags which 

 has not as yet come in. 



To sum up, there is a far greater demand for certified seed 

 than ever before and your secretary has added the name of 

 several hundred potato growers, who buy northern seed every 

 year, to the list of names on our books. I have had letters from 

 farmers in several states who are trying to grow and sell cer- 

 tified seed potatoes, asking for our Maine method of doing this 

 work, and after receiving the description they have again 

 ^written, indorsing the plan on which we are working. 



So far the shipping inspection has not proven very hard to 

 handle and can be very easily managed in those sections where 

 potatoes are largely grown. My orders to inspectors are to 

 place the tag on each sack or container, personally, and sign 

 each tag in his own hand writing, with ink. I believe this system 

 should be followed rigorously, if the work is to continue and 



