Richland beacon., 1888-02-11
THE POTATO IMPORTATIONS.
How the European Countries are
Profiting by the Failure of our Crop
from the New York SUM-

1Oe DTucLlChl VI thO POt'e'O
crop in the United States during the
present season has already led to large
impOrtations from Europe. The returns
of the Bureau Of Agriculture, calculated
I'D to Oct. /, places the decline IN pro
duction, under the average, mt 29,OOo,OVo
bushels. The cause of the decline has
been the long prevailing drought during /
the fall in Illinois, Michigan, Indiana,
and Ohio, which has stunted the growth
of the tuber in these States to such an
extent that the gross yield per acre Is
only one third of the average. On the
O her hand, the amount Of rain IN the
Eastern scaboard during the early part
of the season caused many of the half
crown potatoes to rot in the ground be-
fore coming to maturity.
The number of sacks received from
Great Britain from Oct. ! to Dec. 80
amounted 70 152, 752, rs compared with
3I9 sacks for the corresponding period
last wear, while from the continent OF
Europe, chiefly Germany and Belgium,
| Al, sol sacks, rs compared W til 3,3O4,
have beer received. Since the new year
commenced $4,000 sacks have arrived
from Great Britain, and there are no
signs that this rate of importation Will
decrease until the end of the present
season.
The supply of the city of New York
alone is a serious drain on the potato
market, the daily consumption amount
ing t.. about 1000 barrels. In ordinary
wears the largest portion of this supply
is obtained from the acreage under po-
tato cultivation throughout the State.
The northern portions OF the State, more
especially Saratoga and Washington
counties, grow immense quantities OF
potatoes. In this part of the country
the decline in production has been less
marked than anywhere else, but the de-
mand in the West has been so great that
this city has already actually felt the
scarcity, and prices have risen from an
average of from S1.75 to 81 pr $50
pounds to an average of from SN2 to
S2.37.
By fortunate coincidence, which also
happened six years ago, when the last
failure of the potato crop in the United
States took place, the yield this sea
son in Europe is unusually abundant
and of excellent quality. So In
spite of a fixed duty of As cents as a
tariff charge and freig ht charges of about
cents on each $50 pounds the Euro
= pean markets can probably supply the
tuber, at prices which will prevent for
some time potatoes rising to prohlbi-
tory price in this country.
The different measures of weight used
by different countries as q standard IN
l PRODUCES considerable element OF diff
y Guilty in comparing relative prices. In
y the United States bushel OF potatoes
weighs about sixty pounds, and three
bushels make barrel. Potatoes which
arrive here in British steamships are
carried in sacks which weigh 16s
pounds, while the sacks which come
from Germany hold only 10 pounds
Reducing these two latter to the Ameri
can standard of $50 pounds to the bar
rel, the present average prices are: Bur
hank produced in New York STATE from
81. II to S2.37, Scotch magnums 81. IA
English magnums 81. O3 and best picked
German $2,37. Barrels from Nova SEQ
" tia also bring good prices, ranging from
b. 1926 to $2.37c These prices are thos
Re of the importer and wholesale merchant
c. delivered free at thS store. The mid
10 dlemen charge an average OF 20 cents
r. barrel in addition, and the retailer sup
plies the consumer at whatever price h
S. can get.
te prominent dealer and importer of pc
T. tatoes said this morning: "The potat
ID crop all over the world is m exceedingl
" hazardous one. The Irish famine {
lis 1S47 was the first example of this trut
h. on large scale, but since then there
a. always a partial failure of the crop i
in some quarter of the world. AS rul
T. England does not grow enough potatoe
IN for her own use, and yet she is able
ne spare enough this year to export them
re this country. The last great failure {
n the crop in the United States was 81
he years ago, when Ireland sent us lare
o. quantities. Yet the year previous pot
on toes were so scarce in London that or
II firm alone had 10000 tons impOrte
MT from abroad, stored to meet the expec
he ed deficiency. The production last We,
" / in the United States was not equal
sh The demand, but it was not until Il
nd month of April that large importation
w were resorted to.
le. The best imported potatoes come fro
by Germany, as their high price will sho,
This is chiefly because they are special
Ill picked, and the Germans have learn'
90 that it pays to take trouble over lit
-. things. For the next two months til
f.r source of supply will he cut off I
~, account of the frost, as there are !
o~ heated freight cars in Europe to trar
-, port then with out injury. Scotland h
'hss been exporting largely this season, pri
na1 cipally magnums and regents. ~
Nc champions which had great name
taj many years as q good potato with lar
W.. yield, and very slow to become disease
I I;1 are also exported, but this kind is Wei
Iat ing out. It is not liked on account
n nar its tendency to grow too large and |
- come hollow in tile centre. Scotch I
". tatoes give the best average in lar
Mo nc quantities. If they do not bring I
nj highest price in the market, when il
,on ported potatoes are wanted, they 6
mt always in good demand at a fair pri'
IN; IN Champions are the lowest priced Scot
IL potatoes in the market with the exec
~ ton of inferior grades of German. 7
.oJ former are sold as low rs S1.78 bar
. o, and the latter as low as S1.52. This Iri
; - potatoes are very uncertain in quail
In one bag they are beauties and in
next not fit to eat. This arises from
'or- great variety of soil in Ireland and
ow small quantities collected by
De exporter from each farmer. No Ir
OF potatoes are being imported here ut p
'ily sent, but they probably will be bef'
cry the season is over.