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The Brussels Post, 1975-10-01, Page 15The type of potato first introduced to North America could have been the result of a freak accident. Henry de Jong, a member of Canada's national potato-breeding team based at accepts Maitland Valley donations Agriculture Canada's research station here -- is trying to overcome the effects of that accident to improve the potato, The potatoes with which breeders have been working in the past have a total of 48 chromosomes in their makeup. "But many of the varieties 24 chromosomes," Dr. de Jong says. "It could have been an accident that the varieties which found their way back to Europe and then here to Canada with the early settlers had the 48-chromosome makeup." The higher number of chromosomes , has caused problems in the breeding progiam. Breeders have reached back to South America in their search for superior potato varieties -- higher yielding, better disease and pest F o u n doff° fr:0:antosozitgbinAatmezichaa,vewhoenri; RESERVE OCTOBER 16 FOR THE GRAND OPENING OF THE New Belgrave Co-Op Store READ and USE EXPOSITOR CLASSIFIED WEEKLY SALE BRUSSELS STOCKYARDS LTD. EVERY FRIDAY At Noon Phone 8876461 — Brussels, Ont. t{ Additional' capacity is now available at our new modern plant at Seaforth which provides even more convenience for area bean growers, YOU CAN BE ASSURED OF Fair. prices * Honest weights * Reliable grading * Patronage return on profits Courteous service Make The Farmers' Elevator Work For You! WHITE BEAN GROWERS ONTARIO BEAN GROWERS irr CO-OPERATIVE y Two locations LONDON SEAFORTH tHE BRUSSELS POST, OC OBER 1, 19/5 15 F: South American potato better than Canadian resistance, less fertilizer hungry, and so on. The desirable traits of these potatoes can be incorporated, through breeding, into domestic varieties now being grown in Canada. "But you can't simply cross a variety with 48 chromosomes with one that has only 24," the researcher says. A technique has been developed to halve the number of chromosomes in domestic varieties. The resulting plant is, called a haploid, and has only 24 chromosomes. "This we can cross with the South American varieties," Dr. de Jong says. The result of the cross between the haploid and the South American variety is called a diploid hybrid. It is disPlaying good potential for incorporation into the potato breeding program. i• The Maitland Conservation Foundation has been formed to help finance Conservation work in the Maitland Valley area. It is a separate and recognized entity, created to help provide funds by giving the general public a direct opportunity to participate in the protection and proper management of renewable resources for the future. The Foundation which received its charter last week in Howick is a registered charitable organization managed by a Board of Directors who are authorized by the Minister of Consumer and Commercial Relations to accept donations or bequests of money or real or personal property, and to channel those resources into the implementation of new conservation programs, and toward the continuation of environmental protection programs now in existence. Through personal donations of money or land, an individual can help to achieve the aims of the Authority's programs to protect what is left of the dwindling natural environment. Carl Dalton , Seaforth's rep. to MVCA, is a member of the Foundation. As is George McCutcheon, who represents Brussels. All donations can be deducted as charitable gifts under income tax regulations, and are also viewed under estate tax and succession duty , regulation. A land owner who has spent a lifetime preserving his property and it's resources for future, generations; may now, through a variety of suitable arrangements, depend on the Conservation Authority to continue leis or her wise management to assure that the area will be maintained in it's natural state, according to the Foundation. Government grants will provide an additional 70% of any money the Foundation raise. More information about donations to the Foundation is available from any of the Foundation members, or the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority Headquaraters, Box 5, Wroxeter, Ontario. yyoFt ORO 04 ga& 444,46,04