Report On Success of Island

Display Booth

For the second year in succession mg n a part of its advertising and promotional program. the Prince Edward Island Potato Mar- keting Board put on a display of Prince Edward Island seed and tab); potatoes at the Royal Winter Pair held in Toronto from Nov. 12-20 inclusive. The following re- port of the results was prepared by the Marketing Board secretary. Mrs. Tierney:

"hr the purpose of the display a booth measuring approximately 15 feeting in width by 10 feet in depth was generously supplied by the management of the Fair. The math was situated in the Upper West Annex where the Exhibits of gum, potatoes. hay and other farm aroducts are placed for judging. min floor also contains the so- :alled Tfophy I-Iall wherein the ginning samples of the various en- tries of grain and potato cham- pionships are displayed together with the trophies awarded. This includes the new potato trophy. valued at 31,500. which was won this year by an Ontario grower with a sample of Kcswicks. The booth was opened each morning at approximately 9:30 and attended until 10:00 o'clock each evening.

"This year our booth was situ- ated to one side of this main floor near those occupied by the Can- adian Consumers Association, the Federal Department of Agriculture and the 4-H Club Exhibit. Due to the fact that the Netherlands had R very large display on the seed floor this year accupying approxi- mately one quarter of the space available and also because of the Federal Department of Agriculture ngcupylng a large area of otle wall. a number of the booths which had been located against the wall last. rear were moved this year into the center floor area. We were one at those booths.

”The height of our booth. there- fore, could not exceed four feet because the Federal Department of Agriculture had requested that their display be clearly visible from all directions. We. therefore. had in change the design of the booth and the large banner ll'IlI.'Il was used last year was replaced by a framed type painted wooden sign about nine feet by a foot and one half hanging from the ceiling. The sign rcad' Prince Edward Island -- Potatoes' and was visible, over most of the floor.

ARRANGED IN TIEES

"Our booth was arranged in tiers on which were placed packaged potatoes In fives. tens and fifteen pound lots bearing the trade mark of the various Island shippers. On the lower shelf we also had a dis- play of packaged potato chips. Both corners of the booth con- tsined triangular shaped piles of 60's surrounded by 10 pound sacks. All of this material was kindly donated by the following shippers: Associated Shippers Inc.. George II. Brookins, Canada Packers Ltd.. Eastern Potato Chip Inc. McFar- lane Produce Co. Ltd.. P. E. I. Potato Growers Association, Delbert E. Rayner. Joseph Read and Co. Ltd. E. D. Reid Produce Ltd., L. J. Rossiter. Simmons and MacFsr- lane Ltd.. H. R. Willis Inc.

"The seed display was arranged on it long counter at the front of the booth and contained samples or Sebago. Green Mountain. Red Pontiac. Irish Cobbler and Katah- riin Seed supplied through the kindness of Mr. H. L. McLaren. District Inspector in Charge of the Seed Certification Service. Each variety contained several tubers with the variety name attached. These potatoes drew considerable attention. resulting in many ques- tions being asked by people request- lnformation as to which variety is best for baking or boiling and whether they cook mealy or inclin- ed to go to mush and so forth.

"The Green Mountains particu-

at "Royal Fair

lerly. drew a great deal of atten- tion in that the samples on display were large and a great number of people compared them to the Idaho Baker and requested information on where potatoes of this variety and else might be obtained. They expressed a willingness to pay a premium for a package of this type as did several of the dealers and brokers who visited the booth. "One important point was for- cibly brought out and that was the desire by the consumers to have the variety name on each package. A common ' int seems to be a lack of uniformity as several people claimed that while one package would turn out to be ex- actly what the housewife wanted most. t be next purchase would turn out totally different. The variety name would help materially to alleviate this seeming difference in our potatoes.

"Growers and shippers alike must realize that they must cater to what the consumer wants and not what they think they should have. The old adage that the consumer is always right applies particularly well when applied to potato con- sumption.

"In addition to the packaged potatoes the display booth was at- tractively set up with photographs of potato fields and term, as well as large display signs containing slogans referring to potatoes and

particularly. their value as s healthful food. "It is well to record that the

Royal is visited not only by Tor- onto people but by residents of many States of the United States as well as all the Provinces of Canada. Another factor is that we ship hundreds of carloads of table potatoes annually to the Toronto markets which also serves as a distributing center for many car- loads of Certified Seed for for- warding to various points through- out that Province and to border States of the United States. A dis- play of this kind cannot be mea- sured in dollars and cents but without question the money ex- pended by the Potato Board for the growers of this Province on this project, will be repaid many times over.

"Mention should be made here of the twenty-one entries which were forwarded for competition in the various seed classes in the potato section. Seventeen of these were placed on the prize list and twelve of the seventeen won prizes be- tween first and fifth place. One sample entered by Mr. Reid Under- hby. who was this year's Maritime Potato King at the Maritime Win- ter Fair. placed first with his sample of Red Bliss Triumphs.

"This sample might very well have received a higher placing in the Championships but for the fact that the tubers had already been on display at Amherst and as a consequence had lost some of their color and texture due to ex- posure to the light. In the Katah- din class R. L. Burge of Five Houses placed second. This only goes to prove that with a little more care in selection our seed potatoes might well be placed in the Grand Championship class and so earn a right to the prises as well as the Trophy awarded for the top sample in the show.

"As was the case last year we gave away over one thousand five pound sample bags of table po- tatoes tn people who seemed espec- ially interested in the display. As an added feature or our give away program over a thousand samples of Island Potato Chips were also distributed. These were kindly sup- plied by the Eastern Potato Chip Company, under the brand name of Spud Island and many people returned to the Booth requestinl information about these Chips. asking where they might belch- tained. This in itself augurs well

POTATO PRODUCERS ATTENTION

Following the meeting of the delegation of potato

producers who waited on the

government about two weeks

ago and whose representations were given sympatheti'c.con- sideratlon by the government a meeting of the provisional directors of the Potato Producers Association of Prince ward Island was held at the head office of the Association at Charlottetown on December 8th and the incorporation

of the association was proceeded with.

Application forms

for membership will be available for distribution immediate-

ly through various producers

throughout the Province.

It is suggested that all producers who are desirous of joining this assoclaion make inquiry through whom applica-

tion forms are available.

REUBEN R. LARGE. Chairman Provisional Directors, Potato Producers Association of P. E. I.

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for an Qaadbd tau is It I- llelous food snack. A sample was also supplied to one of the fore- most experts on potato chips and chip making in the United States who was one of this year's Judges of the potato entries.

BOOKLET! SUPPLIED

"V itlonal to the potato pro- gram carried on at the booth. hundreds of booklets supplied by the P.ll.I. Travel Bureau and the Provincial Department of Industry and Natural Resources were dis- tributed in an endeavour to induce People to come to this Province for their holidays and to acquaint them with the products of Prince Edward Island. '

"We also distributed a number of pamphlets supplied by the Cen- tennial Committee and had their posters displayed in the booth. Whenever ex-Islanders turned up. as they frequently did. he or she was promptly issued an "Official summons" which is a feature of the Committee of the 1955 Centen- nial Celebrations.

"The suggestion was advanced by various officials of both Federal

and nvvlicli Depuhent of Agriculture that consldenbls of the floor space available might well be occupied especially lies the display of the principal agricultural and other products produced by each province. On the other hand it would be well if this project is to be continued in the years to come to put in a request, 101- the best and most strategic position on this floor for our display com. mencing in 1955,

"I wish to take this opportunity I0 CXPFGII my most sincere ap- preciation to Mr. Peppin, you; technlcal advlsor. He. though un. able to attend the booth. ggve in. valuable assistance to me in the preparation of material. advised the officials to be contacted gm supplied the answers to many of the questions that might be asked,

Accompanying this report is 0'19 Of Particular interest to deal ers and shippers on Prince Edward Island submitted by Mr. Leo Mc- Isaac whom I wish at this time to thank for his co-operation at all iimu while the fair was in Drocreu."

Timely Notes on Silver Fox and

A despatch from Milan. Italy. dated November 28, states that fur business in Italy is in the dol- drums, with demand sluggish and payments by retailers and retail- ers mosl. wealthy customers. slowe: than in years. according to importers and wholesalers. Few- er Italians are buying fur coats than in the years immediately fol- lowing the war. The advent of TV and major promotions by refriger- ator manufacturers have dealt a big blow to the country's fur bus- iness, according to one of Italy's biggest importers. Many who can- not afford a fur coat and a TV set now buy only a TV. which is Italy's latest craze.

The cousumer performance to- day has swung over to the finest quality furs like persian lamb and mink. Very few Italians are inter- ested in cheap furs any more. Taxes are also high. You do not pay one tax on imports in Italy, you pay several. They add up to as much as 38 per cent ad valorem for dressed furs. But what is con- sidered to be the most damaging is the 10 per cent charged on im- ports of raw skins. The Italian Furriers Association is pressing to have this 10 per cent tax abolished but i.he outcome of this intervention is uncertain. In ad- dition to the member tax there is also an 8 per cent turnover tax and a special tax on furs rang- ing from one to three per cent. It- alian fur manufacturers. most of which are small sized artisan firm: located in and around Flor- ence, have been hard hit by great- ly reduced demand for cheaper furs and many have cut produc- tlon.

World production of ranch raised mink is expected to increase about 8 in 10 per cent in 1954-1955. reaching an estimated 4.5 million dollars. The estimate is based on data supplied by the National Board of Fur Farm Organizations. the Canadian Statistics Bureau and Max Weiss and Son. London brok- United States production for

era. the new season is figured to be almost 2.8 million; Canadian pro-

duction will approximate 758.000 pelts and Scandinavian countries will pelt about 1.153.000 skins.

The pessimism which pervades Italy as shown by the above, does not seem to have found an echo in the United States. Ed Gold. one of the keencst judges of sales trends, states that fur volume throughout the United States climbed about 10 per cent during November and this advance virtu- ally insures that the fur busi- ness will register a modest but promising gain over 1953. One enthusiastic buyer whose judg-

Mink Farming

rrient is considered good, states;

We are over the hump. the cycle of decline is past us; we will move ahead modestly this year slightly less than I had expected but we are going in the right direction. which is certainly more than we have done for five years." Other buyers felt the same way. Some were ecstatic. Mink appeared to rule the roost. Mink was the only fur many buyers would crow about. While several buyers de- plored this domination by a single fur they gave the king his due- mink was away ahead in units and the average mink unit brought in more dollars than any popular and medium priced fur coats being said.

Sam Gottesfeld also w r I t e s: "New season wild mink is bring- ing about 25 per cent over last year's opening prices and muskrat is averaging 10 per cent higher in the New York markets. Fresh skins have begun to trickle in the past two weeks but big quantities are yet to come. according to raw fur skin handlers here. Standard dark mink: have been sold at be- tween slii to S19 for males and sll.50 to 312. for females or about 5 per cent above a year ago. Plat- inums have brought S19 to 019.75 for males and 312.50 for females. or about 10 per cent under a year ago. Fresh muskrat appears to be averaging an increase of 10 per cent over last year's opening prices. Maine XL and L and good mediums are brirging 31.50: med- mm and small 80 cents; Michigan sl.:i5; Wisconsina S125 and 70 cents.

Dominion Fur Auction Sales Ltd., Winnipeg. Man., offered 50,- 000 ranch raised mink including 10.000 sapphires and 15.000 pastels at their opening auction Decem- ber 7th. The offering included EMBA and Capada Mink Breed- ers' catalogues . . . . Canadian de- partment store fur sales for the first nine months of this year were approximately the same value as during the same period in 1953; i954 sales amounted to 37,760,000 and 1953 sales were 37,777,000.

At the meeting of the Canadian Mink Breeders Association held in the Charlottetown Hotel the past summer. emphasis was placed by one good fur authority on the nec- essity of careful pelting. He said there was too much tendency to scrape "too fine" and the result was that when the mink skins were dressed quite a lot of the hairs fell out. Our mink breeders are now peltlng and they should re- gard the above advice as it will certainly mean more dollars for them eventually if not now.

A lead article in The Black Fox

go mole belongs to the genus of uadrupeds (Talpa) and be- cause of its food habits it is clas- sed in the order Insectivora and given the family name Talpidae. Moles are widely distributed but are found only in the temperate portions of the Northern Hemis- phere. Specles common to North America are found from the agri- cultural areas in Canada as far south as Florida in the United States.

The Star-nosed mole. with a 22 point ring of fascinating feelers. has on its nose, this fleshy pro- tuberance: it is one of eleven spe. cies found in Eastern America. Zoologists do not agree on the why and the wherefore. that this mole should be so endowed by nature. It prefers moist soil in which to dig its burrows. It is the best hunter of insect pests that destroy farm and garden crops. Other common moles. that prefer dry soil for their burrows, are also very beneficial in the dlstruction of insects and in opening air pas- sages through the soil.

I I I

It is unfortunate that more is not generally known concerning these friends of the farmers. Moles are seldom seen because they keep in their burrows, except that they are known to come to the surface just at noon; a habit often ob- served, but up the present no ex- planation has been found to ac- count for it. When turned up by the plow, their limited vision rend- era them easily caught. and be- cause of their resemblance to the destructive field mouse they are frequently destroyed.

A mole's body is cylindrical. and in most species about six inches long with a short tail only about one inch long. The fore legs are well forward. and because of this, the mole's head seems to rest between its shoulders; its muzzlc is long. pointed and terminated by

Magazine for November has the following in part . . . A noble deed has been performed by United Mink Breeders Associatign in sav- ing the businass life of one of its founders. Botulism struck a num- ber of mink ranches early in Oct- ober. some losses were light, oth- crs heavy. Henry Luckert. Marion- ctte. Wis., lost most of his herd of 4,000 mink in a few days. UMPA is going to replace his losses and keep Mr. Luckert in business. This is not the first time UMPA has rescued some of its members in case of catastrophe. Other dis- asters in the past have aroused united action by UMPA members in saving one of their own from some tragedy.

We have not heard the word botulism mentioned in this prov- ince for some years but there was some cases of it in the 1930': but not on any great scale. We haven't heard of any distemper the past few years while in the not so long ago almost a whole ranch was wiped out with distemper. The reason must be that ranchers arc using better sanitary precautions and taking better care of meat products so that botulism does not occur.

SOLDIER ACQUITTED

NAIROBI, Kenya (Reuters) - Al

court-martial Monday found British army Pte. Leslie Arthur Hughes not guilty of assaulting an African woman and threatening to bury her alive while questioning her of "Tau Mau terrorist activities. Hughes. 27. was cleared on these and all other Charges. Including one of causing grievous bodily harm.

NORTHERN ISLAND

A Danish-American agreement for the common defence of Green-

land was signed in 1951.

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NEWSY i NOTES

By J. L. Clltk. D.So. T!!! HOLE

i

nostrils which are close together on its nose. The fore legs are powerful. terminating in broad strong paws shaped somewhat like a human hand but aving five toes. each with a sir ng claw. The palms face outward. this feature is unknown in any other Canadian mammal. Its hind legs are small and slender and of little use in digging except to move the loose earth backward. I I

Mole fur is dense. wonderfully soft and velvety. It is greatly prized in the fur trade. It is gen- erally black or brownish black in colour but white Albinos have been seen. A recent census of the Brit- lsh fur trade brought to light the fact that the pelt of the common European mole is the most valu- able of all the wild fur taken at the present time in the United Kingdom. This is all the more re- markable sincc its size is but lit- tle more than that of a common rat. The mole fur is uniformly short in length and thickness, ex- cept on the muzzle and tail. The former has bristles on its sides. and the latter has long coarse hair.