AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



POTATOES. 



In cash value the potato stands next to hay. The acreage for 

 1913 was about ten per cent larger than that for 1912, while 

 the yield per acre was increased in ^bout the same ratio. The 

 report from Washington fixes the total yield at 28,000,000 

 bushels, an increase of 5,000,000 bushels over that of 1912. The 

 area planted is 128,000 acres, and the yield above 200 bushels to 

 the acre. Early in the crop season, reports from Washington 

 indicated a large shrinkage in the potato crop of the country. 

 This led Maine growers to anticipate a long price 

 for their tubers, and the future for the potato indus- 

 try looked very bright indeed. While the price has 

 been good, it has not been so high as was expected. That, 

 and more particularly other conditions affecting the crop, have 

 had a depressing effect. In September, 191 2, an embargo was 

 placed on potatoes from most European countries, on account 

 of potato diseases. As a result of a hearing before the Federal 

 Horticultural! Board in Washington, December 18, 1913, this 

 quarantine was continued and was extended to Canadian pota- 

 toes. This Department was represented at this hearing by Mr. 

 C. E. Embree of the Bureau of Markets. The purpose of the 

 quarantine was to prevent the introduction of new and dan- 

 gerous potato diseases, particularly Powdery Scab and Potato 

 Wart. The fact that these dangerous diseases exist in most 

 other potato growing countries, and the possibility of their in- 

 troduction into our country, are causing unrest and uncer- 

 tainty among our potato growers. Every effort must be used 

 to keep such diseases out of the state. Should they at any 

 time be found here, it would become the duty of the state to 

 stamp them out. 



ORCHARD CROPS. 



The apple crop of 1913 was about 25 per cent of that of 

 1912. The quality was varied. On some farms and in some 

 localities it was good-, while on other farms and in other locali- 

 ties it was inferior. The difference in quality was not due to 

 chance, nor to any favoritism on the part of Providence. No- 

 where is it more true than in orcharding that "Whatsoever a 

 man soweth tha!t shall he also reap." 



