212 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN, 



grow certified stock; it does not say how they shall be planted, or irri- 

 gated, or cultivated or fertilized. It deals with results of production 

 rather than methods of production. Howe"\?er, the law was established 

 because of the demand for good seed and the necessity for having it 

 in order to grow good crops. It is very desirable, therefore, that those 

 who wish to produce certified seed should plant that kind of seed if 

 it can be obtained. If it can not be obtained, then the grower must 

 do the best he can with what he is able to get. At this late season of 

 the year there is very little, if any, certified seed to be obtained. 



While there is no command in the law to dip seed for scab and 

 rhizoctonia, with the majority of seed stocks this is a very important 

 procedure if these diseases are to be kept in check sufficiently to pro- 

 duce stock that will pass for certified seed. Since these diseases are 

 so very common, the law permits a light infection of these diseases 

 in certified seed; and where certified seed is used it may be desirable 

 to treat it with corrosive sublimate or formaldehyde solution. The very 

 high cost of corrosive sublimate at the present time may make it almost 

 prohibitive, and where the rhizoctonia infection is very slight the 

 formaldehyde solution may be substituted. 



INSPECTION. 



In order that potatoes may measure up to the standard of certified 

 seed, it is not sufficient to inspect them after they have been harvested 

 and ready for shipment. The old adage that "you can not tell from 

 the looks of a frog how far it can jump" applies in this case. Three 

 inspections of the crop are necessary: when the plants are in bloom 

 to determine mixture and disease infection ; when they are almost 

 mature to determine disease infection and productiveness ; and after 

 harvest to determine disease infection, uniformity and grading. The 

 cost of these inspections is put upon the grower and may vary from 

 three to ten dollars per acre, depending upon the acreage in any par- 

 ticular locality. 



VARIATIONS IN CERTIFIED SEED. 



Certain small amounts of the most common fungous diseases are 

 permissible. Not over 5 per cent light infection of scab or 10 per 

 cent light infection of rhizoctonia, or 8 per cent light infection of wilt 

 disease may be permitted. These diseases are so common and difficult 

 to eradicate entirely that it would be very difficult to secure much, if 

 any, seed without some infection of one or more of these diseases, and 

 under the circumstances this is a high standard. It is evidently impos- 

 sible for the inspector to supervise the grading of every sack of certified 

 seed. It therefore becomes incumbent upon the grower, after being 

 informed as to just what the standard is. to see that his pack is kept up to 

 this standard, and he becomes responsible for any infringement of 

 the law. 



RELATIVE SEED VALUES IN CERTIFIED SEED POTATOES. 



It may seem to many that all certified seed potatoes must have th i 

 same value for seed purposes regardless of where they are grown or 

 where they are planted. However, this is by no means the case. The 

 State of California comprises a very great variety of soil and climatic 

 conditions — as varied as that of the whole Atlantic coast. AVe have 



