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HOME 'AND FAEM MAGAZINE SECTION
Potatoes For California
THAT OREGON and Washington
supply ono potato producing dis
trict of California approximately
700 cars of seed potatoes in a year,
comes as quite a surprising announce
ment. The authority for this state
ment is no less a personage than W. E.
Shear, Assistant Horticulturist of the
Unitod States Department of Agricul
ture, who is now in charge of the Ex
perimental Station in the Delta Sec
tion of the San Joaquin and Sacramen
to Rivers.
Mr. Shear has been making an in-'
vestigating trip throughout Oregon to
study the conditions surrounding the
raising of potatoes. The section from
which Mr. Shear comes furnishes Cali
fornia with about two-thirds of her en
tire potato crop. Potatoes from Ore
gon and Washington boiug later than
those below, come at a time which
makes them valuable for seed. It has
been stated that a great many pota
toes received from the Northwestern
states are inoculated with fungus trou
ble. Bhrizoctonia, commonly called
"Bhizoc" for short, is not the least of
these troubles. It is a form of fungus
which, in the potato, shows in small
black spots. When these potatoes are
used as seed, it is transformed to the
plant, which it attacks below ground.
Attacking Disease.
"The eradication of these difficulties
are what I am investigating at this
time," said Mr. Shear. "The grower
cannot be too particular in his work.
A simple means of treatment for pota
toes affected in this way is before
seeding. By a sohition of eorrosiv sub
limate disolved in hot water, S ounces
to 30 gallons of water, a preventative
is supplied. In this mixture seed pota
toes should ba soaked for two hours.
"Seed potatoes ore not as well se
lected as they should be. If chosen
from a hill in the field, a much better
result will be achioved. Nothing should
be selected which is not known by name
and true to type. Professor Baker has
said that the grower in three years of
careful seeding and planting can double
his crop.
"The grower of potatoes can woD
hope to get 50 cents a sack more from
the planter for seed purposes if he will
use better judgment in growing and
selecting same. This means a better
profit to the grower and not a very
great increase in cost to the planter, in
planting 9 or 10 sacks to the acre.
Storage of potatoes for seed should be
at a temperature of about 33 to 38 de
grees. A potato convention was held at
Moorland, California, September 25th
and 26th. It was called by the Cali
fornia State Horticulturist Commission
ers and was dedicated to the discus
sion of potato improvement. Represen
tatives from the neighboring states
were invited to attend and their co
operation asked.
E. C. Roberts, president of the Ore
gon State Board of Horticulture, has
been made familiar with Mr. Shears'
visit to the Northwest and its purposo,
and heartily endorses the movement for
the betterment of potato growing.
stances. Heavy forest fires In the Cas
cades and in Washington obscured the
sun so much of tho time that it was
comparatively cool At times, he says,
the pall of smoke was so dens tnat
It would be accessary ti have lamp
lit during the noonday meaL
The drouth this year was of 73 days'
duration, which would seem a short
period as compared with the 168 days
without rain in 18S3, if Mr. Snyder is
correct in his recollection, and it seems
likely that he is, as Rev, Joseph Ho-
berg, of MeMinnviHa, and Hon. Thoa,
Brunk, of Eola, bear him out In his
assertion.
"Anyway, ws are glad it rained this
week, even if it did cause soma ineoi
venionee to hop pickers."
Professor H. T. French, stata leader
of county field work, has spent con
siderable time recently in making aa
investigation of the work of tha Agri
cultural College farm advisors.
ADVOCATING IRRIGATION
Secretary Lane Proposes Commission.
& ECRETARY LANE of the Depart
4fc ment of the Interior has proposed!
an Interstate Irrigation Commis
sion to convene in Helena, Mont., on
October 1. Prom there a train load of
delegates and visitors will go to Cal
gary, Alberta, to attend the first inter
national Irrigation Congress, Oct. 5-9.
Indications point to an excellent at
tendance and ono of the best agricul
tural and horticultural exhibitions.
The official call went out the early
part of August and certificates of ap
pointment issued at tho fame time have
been heartily responded to both in the
United States and Canada. The pro
gram promises many interesting and
valuable discussions of an international
character, subjects having a bearing on
the climatic and development questions
relative io both the United States and
Canada, and these subjects will be j
handled by men who have had consid-1
erable experience in the problems of
irrigation, aijong them Hfn. A. A.
Jones, assistant secretary of the De
partment of the Interior of the United
States, who has taken a leading part
in the satisfactory adjustment of the
many serious problems confronting the
settlers on irrigated lands in the West
ern states. Many of the leading irriga
tionists of Canada will also have a
place on the program.
Members of Congress, of Parliament,
of chambers of commerce, of boards of
trade and other institutions have inti
mated their intention of being present
from all parts of both countries. Presi
dents of agricultural and irrigation as
sociations welcome the opportunity to
discuss tho problems relative to both
irrigation ard dry farming. The need
of correct solutions of farming prob
lems is more than ever emphasized on
account of the agricultural products in
Europe. It is predicted 'that America
must prepare now to demonstrate the
truth of her claim that she "feeds the
world." Irrigation and intensive farm'
ing are to be encouraged as never be
fore.
Those attending the Calgary Con
gress will be given an opportunity to
inspeet the largest single irrigation pro
ject in America, as they will find them
selves practically on the sito of the
Canadian Pacific irrigation block. Here
nearly a million acres have been
brought under ditch, and the total
length of canals and ditches of this
vast undertaking exceeds 5,100 miles.
The Citv of Caleary is preparing a
royal welcome for the visitors and dele
gates, and the railways are arranging
a number of interesting side trips. The
one of most interest to irrigationists
will be over the Baasano irrigation pro
ject which was completed last April.
Another attractive trip will be to
Bamff, some eighty miles from Cal
gary, where mountain drives and climb
ing, nshing, boating ana Datning are
strong inducements to the pleasure
seeker. To those making a longer stay
a trip across the Rocky Mountains will
appeal.
Drought of 1883
Still Holds Good
EATHER RECORDS are disputed
by the Polk County Itemiser,
A. V. R. Snyder, whose memory of
what has transpired in these parts is
about as clear as any of the early day
settlers, disagrees with the Oregonian's
statomont that the dry spell of 1914,
which has just been broken, is the long
est in the historv of Oreeon. 1883, Mr.
Snyder says, n rain fell in this part j
of the Willamette Valloy from April
15th till October 1st. The ground got
so dry, he said, that in places it
cracked open wide enough to admit a
man's foot. While crops generally suf
fered from drouth that year, they did
not burn up as much as ono would
naturally expect under the circum-
0
The Kind that Grow
"You CAN'T Keep
Them In The Ground"
SENT) FOR CATALOGUE
J. J. BUTZER
188-190 Front St.
Portland, Oregon
Maderite in America
Une fnce-Always
1 03, 100
1 os, 20e
2 OZS, 35c
CRESCENT MTQ. CO.,
Seattle
1 Lb. 250
Fifty - Third Annual
Oregon State Fair
Salem, September 28 to October 3, 1914
$20,000.00 Offered in Premiums for Agricultural, live
stock, Poultry, Textile and Other Exhibits,
Horse Races, Shooting Tournament, Band Concerts,
Boys' Camp, Moving Pictures, Children's Play Ground,
Bee Demonstrations, Animal Circus and Other Free At
tractions. You are invited. Free Camp Grounds. Send for Pre
mium List and Entry Blanks.
Reduced rates on all railroads. For particulars address
FRANK MEREDITH, Secretary, Salem, Oregon.
TOBACCO HABIT
Argenite
The Greatest Known Remedy Will
Effectually CURE The Habit
For a limited time only we will mail you
a full sized bottle of Argenitc for 50 cents
in express or money order.
Don't put it oft Don't delay. Write today.
Savannah, Mo, Sept 14th, 1914
ARGENITE CO.
I have used A
can say that it
onite, your A nti -Tobacco Bomody, and
11 do the work. I used several other
remedies, but they did not do the work. Will close this time,
hoping the good work will go on.
Toon truly,
MR. SAMUEL MDTDKR,
E. R. No. 4, Box JO.
ARGENITE CO.
451 MORRISON STREET
PORTLAND I 3
OREGON