POTATO GROWING.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, 12 May 1925, Page 10

POTATO GROWING.

DAKOTAS FOR EXPORT. In conversation yesterday with the Government grader at Timaru (Mr G. Wills) in reference to the gx-owing of potatoes, that officei* said there was some misconception in regard to Dakotas, which, though they realised a higher price than ordinary reds, were not as popular as good white table potatoes. Recently some Dakotas had been shipped from Timaru to Wellington, and tho Wellington agent who had handled them had written as follows: “These potatoes were supposed to be Dakotas, and were accompanied by a certificate to that effect; but, as is most frequently tho case with shipments from Timaru, they were not Dakotas, but ordinary f.a.q. reds, find consequently wo had some diincuJty in placing them. Several times I sold them as Dakotas, subject to inspection, only to have them turned down in each case. Tim.aru shipments are always unpopular here, owing to the fact that the quality is always so unreliable, and , it is only very rarely that a truck of j genuine Dakotas comes forward from ■JLimnru.”

In reply to this, Mr AVills said ho had written recalling the introduction of Dakotas into North Canterbury. They were red potatoes with a deep eye and overhanging eyebrow, with very white flesh in their matured state, and oblong in shape, if grown in stiff soil, but inclined to be round when the resistance of the soil is even. Lose every other root its characteristics were subject to climatic changes, and did not grow the same in stiff as in free loamy soil, Mr AVills' added that he had asked for a sample of the Dakotas (under notice) to be forwaided to him. He was satisfied that all the potatoes passed by him as Dakotas were, of that ( type. Like “AVhite Elephants ” prior I to the past three dry seasons, Dakotas were not acceptable for f.n.q. certili- j cates on account of wasteful deep eye; and unshapely forii. He did not think it could he said that Ins grading of potatoes was hard, as ■ it w,as his practice to allow a margin for foreign tubers in them. He could scarcely be more liberal than that in grading. Growers of Dakotas should be careful when selecting their seed that the tubers which they buj 7 as Dakotas have the characteristics of that variety.