The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-02-16

England, az Well as to the South
ern and Central States-Aiinne-
sofa Articles at Premium
The humble Irish potato, although
never especially attractive as a thing of
beauty nor as an everlasting joy, has
succeeded in maintaining a fair record
as an article of usefulness to the hui
man family and of profit to the agri-
culturist. Very few people hereabout
realize to what extent this vegetable
is cultivated in the soil of Minnesota,
Or how eagerly the product is sought
by the people of other states.
The st. Paul & Duluth and the Great
Northern railway, between ST. Paul
and Princeton station, penetrate the
great potato growing sections of the
state. The magnitude OF the industry
| can be estimated in the light of the
record which shows that over one of
these lines alone upwards of $3.50 car
j leads of potatoes have been distributed
| through st. Paul since the 1st of Sep
| TENDER last as follows: In the month of
September, 400 cars; in October, 600; in
! November, 500, and in December, 400,
! Willie since the 1st of January the num-
I Der has been upwards of 300 from the
same source This is about double the
t bulk shipped from that locality by way
! of this po-t in the same period of
were four times those of the same
month in 1896. In October, the amount
was double tkat of the same month
| the year previous. and four times
| greater in November than the bulk
| shipped during the same peri of 1896
The potato crop in N nnes0ta was un-
usually large last year, though it did
rot reach quite the proportions of 1895
1t is estimated to have been about 80
! per cent of that crop, though in the
last mentioned year potatoes sod from
20 cents a bushel down to a point at
Which they We're not worth loading on
the ears. The Burbank is the potato
| which is regarded as the standard for
market. The Ohios and the Early Rose
have been in good demand for Southern
seed. 1t may not be generally known
that the Minnesota potato is favOrite.
not only for the table but for seed. The
states OF Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana,
MlSSOu1i ard Kansas, ard Indian terri
tory are buyers of our seed potatoes.
The reason for this is found in the
fact that in those milder climates it is
difficult to preserve the bulbs in proper
condition for planting, because of their
tendency to early sprouting; hence bet
tel results are secured from importing
seed from the harder localities of the
North. The states of Kentucky and
Tennessee are also seed purchasers in
Minnesota. to a limited extent, though
in those states the climate admits of
the growth of a second crop, the product
Of which is often times available for
| spring planting.
Last autumn every one anticipated
a high price for potatoes during the
winter months. Strangely enough, the
exceptional miidaesS Of the season is
said to have altered this marketable
condition. St. Paul is located in the
center of a great potato growing area
hrt h.
are made from those producers within
the easiest reach. Had the weather
of the winter season been approximate
ly normal the potatoes would in large
part have been withheld because of
the danger from chilling in forward
ing them to market To chill or freeze
a potato is to render it worthless. The
prevalence of mild weather had the eff
feet of bringing the potatoes to mar
ket from not only Minnesota, but from
| North Dakota points, whereas cold
winter would have kept them in store
until spring. This would have resulted
in high prices during the winter
months and a possible break to much
lower prices as the nilder weather adj
Vanced. AS it is. the price has been
unusually uniform, because as orders
came forward commission men have
been able to satisfy the demand with
out extraordinary risk.
All the states of New England are
now, and have been throughout the
winter in the market for Minnesota
potatoes. A reporter for The G. | o e,
visiting a commission house yesterday
was shown a batch of Geographic or
ders, taken up just as they came in.
They were all for carload lots and
emanated from Boston, Fall River,
Mass: Carthage, Mo: Manchester, N.
H, and points in Illinois. 1t is said
by commission men that. with all New
England everything south of the Mich
igan and Wisconsin lines is destitute
of potatoes, until Colorado is reached,
and every locality east of the Michigan
line.
Potatoes are shipped from Mime
sofa in refrigerator cars. They are
sent in detachments of seven and eight
carloads. accompanied by an attend
ant to- look after the fires in the cars.
A St Paul commission house had q
number of cars in train which man
aged to get under way from here east
ward just behind the recent blizzard.
The cars were held over eighteen hours
at Chicago while the roads east were
being cleared of the snow blockades.
Subsequently the cars proceeded on to
their destination. where they arrived
with their contents in excellent condi-
ton. These cars are so arranged that
they admit of free circulation of hot
air.
HrODaDly from 30 DSE cent " 90 per
cent Of the potatoes of Minnesota are
grown north of the parallel of st. Paul.
Planting is carried on all the way from
the actual opening of spring to the
latter part of May. and even to the
| early part of June. 1t is notable that
the real development of the potato
crop Of last year took place in the first
ten days of September. 1t was during
that period that the work of maturity
was Effected and it was, likewise, dur
ing that period when the condition of
| the crop eastward from here was be-
! coming known, that Minnesota farm
ers were anticipating returns on the
| tasis of a dollar a bushel. The Min
nesota potato. by reason Of its excel
| lent food quality. commands from
to 10 cents more a bushel than those
! raised in other localities. Such, for
instance as points contiguous to the
markets of st. Louis and Kansas City.
1t is also noted by produce dealers
| that in Minnesota the area planted to
! potatoes, year by year. varies only
| slightly, and the yield is chiefly due TO
weather and climatic conditions gov
erning the seasons.