THE FARM GARDEN

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 61, 11 September 1939, Page 3

THE FARM GARDEN

VALUE OF CERTIFIED "SEED"' POTATOES Although the value Qf certified "seed" potatoes is fully realised by farmers who grow this crop on a fairly large scale as a cash crop, on'often feels that there is a definite place for certified "seed"' on the aver age farm where only sufficient potatoes are grown to fulfil part of the norma] household requirements. On the great majority of farms there is usually the annual potato patch, and it has often occurred to me that manv farmers are not getting the yields warranted by their efforts says A. V. Alio, Tauranga. For instance, Avhile visiting one farm two months ago I noticed a crop of potatoes occupying about a ouarter of an acre. On close, inspection they proved to be heavily infested with virus disease, and when the roots were dug the potatoes were very small and the crop very light. The farmer told me that he kept his own "seed'' every year and had never heard of certified seed. Such instances are quite common. Quite often the smallest-sized potatoes are kept for the next season's seed, with the result that the crqp is usually light. Even if mediums'zed seed is kept, there is seldom any roguing done. In the warmer dairying districts of Ihe North Island a line of seed tends to run out rapidly, and conditions favour the rapid spread of virus disease. In thesr> circumstanccs there is a definite place for the use of certified seed on the dairy farm potato patch. Tliev arc produced in districts suited to the production of healthy seed, and have to attain a certain, standard of freedom from disease before the Department of Agriculture will certify them. They are procurable from any merchant, and the slightly higher price paid for them will be more than covered by the increased yield. Three farmers whom I know in the Bay of Plenty were persuaded to test some of their own seed against certified seed of the same variety, and in nil cases the cert Tied seed gave at least double the crop. They intend sowing certified seed in the future, and have also converted some of their neighbours. ft is usually advisable to obtain a fresh lot of certified seed every second year. Seed kept from a certified crop should be all right for one year, but should then be discarded and fresh seed purchased.