The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1900-10-25
LOOK OUT FOR THEM.
Wisconsin Farmers Are Warned to
Be Wary of Clever SWind-
ling Scheme.
WANT TO SELL SEED POTATOES
Guaranteed to Yield 900 to 200 Bushels
per Acre and Are of Pink Variety
Many Farmers Taken In.

Farmers in KenoSha county and
other parts of the state are warned to
beware of a scheme by which clever
individual has cleaned up in the neigh
borhood of 100000 in Minnesota,
have been no cases reported in this
state, but farmers should be wary. The
plan resembles the Bohemian oat deal
of several years ago.
Early last winter a company was in
corporated with an alleged capital of
81, 900, 900. Soon after the company
was incorporated the mails were filled
we11-to-do farmer. This letter stated
that theJ' had purchased quantity of
phenomenal. seed potatoes.
That with ordinary ground this po-
tato which they were handling was
guaranteed to yield from 900 to 1000
bushels per acre. Seed could be pro-
cured of them only at the cost of SIG
per bushe1 and no less than two and
one-ha1f bushels would be sold to any
one purchaser at this price. In no case
was payment desired in advance, and
the company would undertake by con-
tract to buy back the following season
an equal number of bushels at the
were invited to correspond with the
new company.
Enclosed with the letter was a. clip
pingEfrom Chicago paper containing
the following encouraging informa
ton:
"Long Island farmers have discover
ed "a potato which returns phenome-
nal yield. The failure in this vicinity
through:b1ight this season of the po-
tato crop compelled the farmers to look
about for variety new to their soil.
There is much promise in one promu1
gated about two years ago in Suffolk
county, which is said to be not only a
most prolific producer but excellent in
quality as well. A few pounds each
have been distributed to farmers for
trial, and the results reported from
them are somewhat phenomenal. From
them one pound tests sixty to ninety
six pounds have been produced, and
one farmers yield was at the rate of
900 bushels to the acre.
This served to whet the appetite of
the granger for more recommendations
concerning the prolific potato. The
seed offered was known as the "Pink
Producer" and was declared to be sat-
isfactory for any use. Of course there
were many responses to these letters,
and the farmer would then receive an
answer to the effect that the state
agent would soon call. Within a fort
night well dressed business man
would appear with sample peck of
potatoes. They were c1ean-eyed speci-
mems, and each one a bright pink color.
A deal would be made for anywhere
from two and half to ten bushels,
delivery to be made in ten days. The
farmer would then give his promisory
note due in two, three or four months,
as the case might be, and he would re-
ceive in time an agreement to purchase
a corresponding number of bushels at
$1O price the next season, or to give the
farmer the township agency if he pre-
ferred it. Of course all the farmers
| notes were discounted at the nearest
bank, or in any event they passed into
third and an innocent purchasers
hands. In Ortonvi11e and Odessa,
Mimi, alone, over So, 500 worth of these
notes were collected during the month
of September. All along the 1iue of
the Milwaukee railway, from Glencoe
to Morehead, there is hardly station
where dupes have not been found.
Minnesota must have been touched"
for a full 100000, while Indiana was
swind1ed worst of all. The residents
of Illinois are said to have contributed
over double the amount that is credited
to Minnesota.
It has been discovered that the pota-
toes sold under the name of "Pink
Producer" were bought last spring in
Ohio, and after being carefully washed
were given a bath of ana1ine dye,
| which added the desired tint. In other
+11ou xuoro Of