240 REroET OF Farmers' Institutes 



My view is that the standard should not be placed high at first so 

 that it may be gradually raised as our knowledge of the subject 

 grows. 



SUMMARY OF STANDARDS 



Briefly summarized, the following standards are proposed for 

 New York seed potatoes: 



1. Freedom from evident varietal mixture. 



2. Conformity to type of variety as regards vine and tuber 

 characters. 



3. Freedom from wart and powdery scab. 



4. Practical freedom from leaf roll, curly dwarf, blackleg and 

 weak hills. 



5. A maximum of 5 per cent of mosaic. 



6. Freedom from serious infection with other diseases. 



7. Good cultural methods. 



8. Tubers to weigh between 2 and 12 ounces for late varieties 

 and betv;een 2 and 10 ounces for early varieties. 



9. Satisfactory yield for the variety. 



methods of inspection and certification 



While the difficulty of deciding upon standards is considerable, 

 that of working out methods of inspection and certification is 

 greater. 



About two years ago when this matter first came up for serious 

 consideration in ISTew York it was thought that the inspection and 

 certification should be done by the state through its Department of 

 Agriculture. Accordingly, the department detailed Mr. H. C. 

 Sands to investigate and draw up the necessary standards and 

 rules and regulations to govern it. Mr. Sands made a thorough 

 study of the problem and outlined a very complete method of pro- 

 cedure. It being found that an act of the legislature was required 

 to give the commissioner of agriculture the necessary authority to 

 carry out the proposed inspection and certification, a bill providing 

 for the state inspection and certification of seed potatoes was intro- 

 duced into the legislature during the closing days of its last 

 session. This bill failed of passage. 



Lately the view has prevailed that it would be unwise to enact 

 such a law until after some experience has been gained through an 



