262 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



We have corresponded with the market bureaus and seed 

 bureaus of several of the states and experiment stations, to get 

 an idea of what they want for seed potatoes. There are three 

 things which we must have in growing the best s^ed potatoes, — 

 freedom from disease, purity to type, and yield. It was these 

 things that led us to adoi)t a system of certification because 

 without inspection we could not be sure of the disease condi- 

 tions; also without inspection we could not be sure of purity 

 because the time when plants are in the growing period is the 

 time when the varieties can best be told, and the buyers, whether 

 in our own state or some other state, must have a guaranty. 

 They must know that the seed which they are buying is just 

 what we recommend, just what we state it to be. We have 

 this year potatoes, grain and corn which can be sold under the 

 guaranty of this association and of the state department, and it 

 seems to me that* we should advertise this seed. We have 

 already advertised it in small ways, by means of personal letters 

 and letters to other states, but I offer for your consideration 

 whether it would not be best to put a small advertisement, for 

 instance, in a New England paper and a State of Maine paper, — 

 a small block advertisement, stating the kinds and amounts of 

 seed w^e have for sale that are worthy of the guaranty from this 

 association. 



The standardization of varieties Avas suggested at our annual 

 meeting last year, particularly in regard to potatoes. And 

 potatoes are not the onily crop which could be standardized. 

 With corn, beans and grains, we have too many varieties which 

 are very nearly the same type, and too many strains of the same 

 variety. I have here a list of varieties of potato, standardized 

 by Prof. Stuart of New York, in which he grouped the different 

 varieties according to their characteristics. They are as follows : 



Group List of Varieties. 



Early Dixie, Early Eureka, 

 Group I, Irish Cobbler Group Early Petoskey, Early Standard, 



Early Victor, Irish Cobbler, 

 Sutton's Flourball. 



Group 2, Quick Lunch Group Quick Lunch or Norolon Beauty, 



Triumph, White Triumph. 



