The primary cause resulting in this rejuvenation of the Aroos- 
took potato industry was the discovery, in that county, of powdery 
scab, a serious, imported potato disease. This disease threatened 
to become disseminated throughout the whole country, so great is 
the distribution of northern Maine seed, some of which would, un- 
less extreme care be exercised, undoubtedly be affected with this 
disease. Promptly upon its discovery, steps were taken by the 
State and Federal Departments of Agriculture to prevent shipment 
of tubers infected with powdery scab. The gospel of care and 
attention in the selection of the seed planted and shipped, 
preached first by plant pathologists, was taken up by wide-awake 
growers; adherence to this gospel was enforced by declaring a quar- 
antine upon potatoes shipped, so that all had first to be inspected. 
While the eradication of this disease was being sought, other dis- 
eases were also brought to attention and avoided; varieties were 
cleaned up and freed from mixture with other varieties. The 
concensus of opinion now is that the discovery of this important 
disease in northern Maine was a blessing in disguise, and will 
result in much less potato disease there, as well as in better quality 
and better yield. 
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden has been especially interested in 
this movement, particularly on account of the fact that one of the 
staff was temporarily released from Garden duties in order to 
take active part in the work. The writer, together with two other 
special students of potato diseases, accepted appointments for 
the season with some of the more progressive potato growers. 
The duties of these field workers were to keep close watch of all 
the details of selection, the proper methods of cutting, treating 
and planting of seed tubers; the control and final eradication of 
the diseases which appeared; the “roguing” for stray intruders 
in an otherwise pure variety; as well as the final harvesting, in- 
spection and storage of the crop. 
This year, practically for the first time, formaldehyde treat- 
ment of seed potatoes was practiced; many diseased plants have 
been removed from the fields, and the crop never looked cleaner 
and better. Thanks to the teaching of the plant pathologists and 
the enterprise of growers, northern Maine is still one of the most 
progressive and important potato raising sections of America. 
