SEED POTATOES

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 3297, 6 August 1943, Page 3

SEED POTATOES

HOME GROWN SUPPLY SHORTAGE POSSIBLE ADVICE TG, PRIVATE GROWERS 'A Last year home gardeners were faced with extreme difficulty in obtaining supplies of seed potatoes for planting in their private gardens, the shortage being 'brought about by the 'necessity of lifting the commercial acreage in the 1941-42 season from an extremely low acreage to a figure rather above normal. A similar position may possibly face home gardeners again this season, not because of the failure of last year’s effort, but because of a recent notification from the American authorities of greatly increased requirements by their armed forces. New Zealand is

being called upon to do her share in feeding the fighting men of the Allied Nations and in one respect every private gardener can assist. This is in relation to seed potato supplies. I Seed In Short Supply

When seed potatoes are in short supply, it must be the’ private gardener who suffers first. This is not because he is entitled to less consideration. He is however, in a much better position to improvise, and while his individual efforts may seem negligible; the total effort tor all private gardeners amounts to considerable proportions.

It is the considered opinion of Mr J. H. Claridge, seed certification offi-

cer of the Department of Agriculture, that in times like these every private gardener can and should make himself independent of the usual source of seed potatoes and at the same time make an indirect but very important contribution to the war effort. Apart from direct purchase of seed potatoes, Mr Claridge suggests the following ways by which sufficient sets for the ordinary home garden might be obtained.

Good Alternatives

1. Sort over youi’ supplies of table potatoes and put the smallest aside for planting. Put them out to green and sprout and by the time you are ready to plant them you may find they can be cut into two or more pieces, each with two to three sturdy shoots.

2. Approach your neighbour (especially if he was fortunate enough to have an appreciable area in potatoes last season). He may be able to supply you with some spare tubers which you should handle as above.