Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1901-08-23
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS
FROM CONTEMPORARIES
LIE POOR POTATO CROP.

THE POOR POTATO CROP.
Ii the reports from various parts of the
United States, notably from New Eng
land and the South, are trustworthy, the
people of this country may soon have to
economic in the use of potatoes or pay
extravagant prices for them. 1t is al
lodged that the southern potato crop this
year is failure, that the western yield
is poor, and that throughout the Middle
West and all the States north of Mary
land the crop is much below the average.
Indeed, of all the states prominent as
potato growers, Maryland appears to be
the only one expected to maintain its av-
erage of former years. 1t has been estl-
mated that the total potato crop of the
country for 1900 will lot yield over
1900, 900 bushels, or about one-half the
quantity of other years. OF course those
figures represent all the domestic pota.
toes that will he available for export and
home consumption.
Persons who in the past have heard re-
ports similar to these regarding scar
city of potatoes may be inclined to dis
credit those now current; but the prices
quoted for the staple in several cities of
the Union tend to show that the forego-
ing statements are, at least. approx
mately correct. In single day of last
week the price of potatoes in Providence
jumped from So to $50 per barrel as the
result Ola large purchase by dealers in
Mas sachusetts, where the price per bar
rel had reached Sc. On the day follow
ing this deal potatoes sold in Rhode
Island at $3.50 a barrel and 81 60 a
bushe.
The market for this vegetable has ad-
vanced no less strikingly in other places.
In New York the wholesale price per
barrel for Long Island potatoes ranges
from 50 to 81, with strong tendency
upward in Chicago and Cleveland it is
from So 80 to ST. Pittsburg from s 80
to SID, while the prevailing quotations
just now in and about Buffalo are such
as almost to incline intending visitors at
the Exposition to carry limited supply
of potatoes with them for personal use.
The only explanation of the shortage
given thus far is that the weather condi-
tions throughout the regions where the
yield is most affected have been unfavOr-
able to a good crop. These adverse con
ditions appear to have extended over
vast area, which includes not only
large section Of the United States, bur
also parts of Canada which, hitherto,
have produced this vegetable in abund.
ance. Briefly, excessive heat and not
enough rain when needed seem to have
put the crop in bad way but, strangely
enough, no blame whatever has fallen on
the potato bug, despite the fact that for
several weeks past tie little fellow has
been extremely active.
1t is possible, therefore. that, instead
of exporting large quantities of potatoes,
as in former years, we shah be forced to
seek foreign markets for enough of the
article to supply our own tables. The
reports of this years crop in Ireland are
exceedingly encouraging, and if Pom
mes de terre irlandaiscs" is inscribed
generally on our menus before snow flies.
no one need be surprised New York
sun.
PENSION STATISTICS.
Pension Commissioner Evans has pre-
pared statement showing the operations
and principal features of the pension
bureau during the last fiscal year as CON-
pared with former years. Most of the
data will be embodied in his annual re-
port, and the statement Is prepared for
the use Of the national encampment Of
the Grand Army of the Republic, which
will be held before the report is ready.
The report shows that the number of
pensioners Oh the rolls June 80 last was
The total net loss to the roll during the
year was Bose, which includes IS, lS3
by deaths, l53S by failure to claim pen
sions and 400 from other causes. A
comparative table shows that the roll for
the year Just closed is the high water
mark in the history of the pension
bureau, the next highest having been
reached in 1895
OF the gains to the rolls during the
year 1919 were from the war with Spain.
The losses include two from the revolu-
ton, 2l5 from the war of 1912, S2G from
the war with Mexico and 544 from the
Indian wars.
The gains to the rolls since lS9S were
1884 widows of the civil war and 1904
from the Spanish war; total, IS OBS.
The net gain to the rolls in four years
was 1921.
Pensions granted to widows under the
act of June p, 1890, numbered 1860. or
nearly 1900 in excess of those granted
the previous year.
The pensioners on the rolls are CLASH
fled as follows Survivors, $500 invalids,
SnInIER TWIcF ShVFn