22 
it  has  repeatedly  come  to  my  notice  that  people  contemplating 
potato  planting  ordered  inferior,  because  cheaper  (-sic!)  grades 
of  potatoes  for  seed  purposes.  People  with  such  tendencies,  and 
only  the  enlightened  few  are  the  exception,  will  use  the  potatoes 
left  over  as  unfit  for  house  consumption,  and  such  are  badly 
scabbed  potatoes,  for  seed  purposes.  This  is  tantamount  to 
saying  that  EVERY  SCABBY  POTATO  IMPORTED 
MUST  BE  CONSIDERED  AS  A SEED  POTATO. 
After  discussing  the  problem  with  Mr.  Lewton-Brain  some- 
time ago  and  Dr.  Wilcox  recently  the  conclusion  was  reached  that 
potatoes  we  admit  should  be  either  absolutely  scab-free  or  not 
over  ten  per  cent,  so  infested  and  treated  zvith  formalin  according 
to  standard  formula. 
Desirable  as  it  doubtless  would  be  the  formalin  treatment  was 
later  found  impracticable  for  the  following  reasons : First,  it  is 
impossible  without  much  biological  work  to  be  sure  the  scab 
organism  is  dead,  hence  growers  or  shippers  cannot  be  depended 
upon  to  make  the  treatment;  second,  dipping  in  formalin  here 
could  not  be  undertaken  because  of  lack  of  facilities  for  drying ; 
third,  either  dry  cr  wet  treatment  takes  more  time  than  we  can 
afford  to  devote ; fourth,  the  importers  in  conference  with  me  said 
they  cannot  consider  the  expense  of  the  work. 
To  get  at  the  practical  side  of  the  question  I attended  a con- 
ference arranged  by  one  of  the  potato  importers.  The  argu- 
ments there  presented  in  favor  of  the  present  status  of  potatoes 
were  the  following: 
(a)  The  indifference  of  the  Californians  to  our  potato 
market. 
(b)  The  impossibility  to-  procure  absolutely  scab-free  River 
potatoes. 
(c)  The  expensiveness  of  Salina  potatoes,  which  are  thus  far 
found  always  scab-free. 
(d)  A reason  they  did  not  present  or  press  is  that  there  is 
more  profit  in  the  cheaper  potato. 
To  these  arguments  I would  offer  in  reply  that:  (a)  It  is 
scarcely  credible  merchants  should  remain  indifferent  to  a 50,000- 
60,000  per  annum  potato  market,  (b)  I am  not  prepared  to  say 
aught  about  the  grades  of  River  potatoes;  but  (c)  It  can  be 
proven  by  actual  figures  that  at  prevailing  prices  Salina  potatoes 
in  the  last  analysis  are  no  more  expensive  to  the  consumer  than 
are  Rivers,  (d)  I believe  the  gentlemen  will  cheerfully  forego 
the  larger  profits  if  the  good  of  the  Territory  is  involved. 
Now  as  to  the  comparative  cost  of  pofatoes,  it  can  be  easily 
shown  that  the  consumer  is  not  the  loser  even  if  the  initial 
cost  is  somewhat  higher.  For  stew  purposes  he  will  find 
ample  material  among  the  best  of  them. 
