The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-07
The Potato Crop.
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| New York Produce EXCHANGE Reporter.
| The practical failure of the potato crop in the
United States during the present season has al
ready led to large importations from Europe.
The returns of the Bureau OF Agriculture places
| the decrease in production under the average at
~ GOO GOO bushels els the potato crop Is appfoa
| 1900, 900 acres, the smallest yield per acre
| since 1881. 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 extent that the gross yield per acre is
only one third of an average. On the other
hand the amount of rain in the Eastern sea-
board during the early part OF the season has
caused many of the halfgrown potatoes to rot
in the ground before coming to maturity.
It may be interesting give some statistics
and facts in regard to present supply. The
chief shipping ports of Great Britain are in
Scotland, Glasgow and Dundee being two of the
largest. The continental stock is almost exclu-
sively Germany. The number of sacks re-
ceived firm Great Britain from Oct. to Dec.
sacks for the corresponding period last
year. while from the continent of Europe,
chiefly Germany and Belgium. 44.801
sacks. as compared with 1904. have been re-
have to be packed into barrels of l6O pounds, or
sacks of the Same weight. Much OF the CONT
which considered equal to two barrels.
Since the new year commenced about $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
son.
The SUPPLY of the city of New York alone is a
serious drain the potato market. the daily
consumption amounting to about 700c barrels.
In ordinary years 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 COUNTESS grow I'M
mense quantities of potatoes In this part of
the country the decline in production has been
less marked than anywhere else but the de-
mand has been great in the West that this
ity, and prices have risen from an
average OF $1-75 to So per 40 pounds
10 an average of from g. II to 81. 81. There is
great deal of stock received by this city which y
not consumed here, but reshipped to tho West
We also export some quantity of stock to the
West India islands.
BY fortunate coincidence, which also hap
potato crop in the United States took place, the
yield this season in Europe is unusually abund
ant, and of excellent quality. So in spite of
fixed duty of 40 cents tariff charge, and
freight charges of about cents each $50
pounds, ths European markets can profitably
supply the tuber at prices which will prevent
for some time potatoes rising to hibitory
price in this country.
ceedingly hazardous one. The Irish famine OF
I847 was the first example of this truth on q
large SCALE but since then thero is always
partial failure of the crop in some quarter of the
world. As . rule England does not grow enough
potatoes for her own use, and yet she 10 able TO
spare enough this year to export them to
this country. The last great failure
of the crop in the United States was six years
ago, when ireland sent us large quantities. Yet
the year previous potatoes were scarce IN
London that one firm alone had 100000 tons,
imported from abroad, stored to meet the ex-
pected deficiency. The production last year In
the United States was not equal TO the demand,
but il was not until the month OF April that
large importation resorted to.