ipi6 



Certified Potato Seed from Idaho 



By E. P. Taylor, Field Horticulturist, 

 Universify of Idaho, Boise 



IN Idaho the natural conditions sur- 

 rounding potato growers are almost 

 ideal. The soil in the principal potato 

 districts of the state is a loose volcanic 

 ash or a sandy loam and seems with 

 average handling to be loose enough 

 to allow the forming tubers to develop 

 normally in all directions, resulting in 

 potatoes smooth and free from objec- 

 tionable knots and irregularities. The 

 tubers produced are usually white and 

 mealey and of excellent quality. The 

 climate of the state also seems well 

 adapted to potato growing. The sea- 

 sons in sections are reasonably cool 

 but long enough to allow the crop to 

 mature. Coupling the ideal soil condi- 

 tions with a congenial climate and add- 

 ing to these an ample supply of irri- 

 gation water and good drainage, and it 

 is apparent that the potato industry in 

 Idaho has a firm foundation. But it 

 requires more than good soil and cli- 

 mate and water to grow good potatoes 

 from year to year in any locality. It 

 fakes thought and care. It has been 

 found that potatoes grown upon the 

 same soil continuously develop disease, 

 and that without careful selection of 

 seed the type is liable to degenerate 

 and the yield fall away. 



These are lessons that Idaho potato 

 growers learned to a certain extent by 

 studying the experience of potato grow- 

 ers in other large potato-producing 

 states. Their own yields started down- 

 ward, dropping from 10,000 to 12,000 

 cars per year to 7,000 to 8,000 cars. 

 Federal potato experts warned them of 

 the dangers surrounding disease, poor 

 rotations and methods, and state agri- 

 cultural authorities quickly united in 

 the campaign for better potatoes. Be it 

 said to the credit of an alert class of 

 growers in Idaho, definite plans for 

 potato improvement are now well un- 

 der way. 



One of the movements started by the 

 Agricultural Kxtension Department of 

 the University of Idaho has been the 

 adoption of a plan leading to potato- 

 seed certification. Such a plan has 

 already been tried in Wisconsin and is 

 working well. Idaho is the first state 

 in the West or Northwest to put into 

 effect such a plan, but this season about 

 ninety separate growers have started 

 info this work in a most thorough way, 

 establishing potato-seed plats upon the 

 cleanest, richesl, most disease-free soil 

 upon their jjlaccs where soil, irrigation 

 and drainage are the best possible. 

 I'pon these seed plats of from one to 

 three acres each, only seed potatoes of 

 perfect type and shape have been 

 planted. This seed was selected as free 

 as possible from all disease, including 

 scab, Rhizocfonia and Fusarium wilt — 

 these being the most prevalent potato 

 diseases of the irrigated West. Every 

 seed tuber was cut across the stem end 

 for the detection of any internal vascu- 

 lar infection in order that these could 

 be re,jected. As a final precaution this 

 especially selected seed was dipped 

 with corrosive sublimate solution from 

 IV2 to 2 hours. Four ounces of the 



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Statement of the Ownership, Management, Circulation, Etc. 



RequiretJ by the Act of Congress of August 34, 1912, 



of "Better Fruit," Published Monthly at Hood River, Oregon, 



for October, 1916. 



state of Oregon, | 



County of Hood River, ( ®®- 



Before me. a iiotary public in and for the state and county aforesaid, personally 

 appeared E, H. Shepard, who having been duly sworn according to law deposes and 

 says that he is the editor and business manager of "Better Fruit," and that the follow- 

 ing IS to the best of his knowledge and belief a true statement of the ownership, 

 managenient (and if a daily paper the circulation), etc, of the aforesaid publicaUon 

 tor the date shown in the above caption, required by the Act of August ''4 igf 

 embodied in section 443, Postal Laws and Regulations, printed on the reverse" of thfs 

 form, to wit: 



1. That the names and addresses of the publisher, editor, managing editor and busi- 



nes,s manager are: 



Ptlblish«^^, Better Fruit Publishing Company, PostofHce address. Hood River. Oregon, 



Fklitor, E. H, Shepard. Postofflce address. Hood River, Oregon, 



Managing EMitor, E. H. Shepard, Postofflce address. Hood River Oregon 



Business Manager. E. H, Shepard. Postofflce address. Hood River, Oregon, 



1. That the owners are: (Give names and addresses of individual owners or if a 



corpoiation, give its name and the names and addresses of stockholders owning or 



holding one per cent or more of the total amount of stock.) 



Better Fruit Publishing Company. E, H, Shepard, Hood River. Oregon. 



3. That the known bondholders mortgagees and other securitv holders owning or 

 holding one per cent or more of total amount of bonds, mortgages, or other securities 

 are: (If there are none, so state.) None. 



4, That the two paragraphs next above giving the names of the owners, stockholders 

 and security holders, if any, contain not only the list of stockholders and security 

 holders as they appear upon the books of the companv, but also in cases where the 

 stockholder or security holder appears upon the books of the companv as trustee or in 

 any other fiduciary relation the name of the person or corporation for whom such 

 trustee is acting is given: also thnt the said two paragraphs contain statements em- 

 bracing afflant s full knowledge and Ivelicf as to the circumstances and conditions under 

 which stockholders and security holders who do not appear upon the books of the com- 

 pany a.s trustees hold stock and securities in a capacity other than that of a bona fide 

 owner; and this affiant has no reason to believe that any other person, association or 

 corporation has any interest direct or indirect in the said stock, bonds or other securi- 

 ties than a.s -so stated by him. 



,5. That the average number of copies of each Issue of this publication sold or dis- 

 tributed, through the mails or otherwise, to paid subscribers during the six months 

 preceding the date shown above Is: (This information is required from daily publica- 

 """'' ""'•'■* (Signed) E, H. SHRP.A.RD, 



Editor and Business Manager, 

 Sworn to and subscribed before mc this 26th day of September 191G 



(Seal) ERNEST C. SMITH, 



Notary Public for the State of Oregon, 

 (My Commission e.vpires Atigust. 1920.) 



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