Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1905-10-19
new SEED POTATOES
NEEDED in THE VALLEY

49, - - - ~ = - - - AASS
NEEDED in THU; VALLEY
Grand Forks Press: According to
potato experts OF this section, the en-
tire seed stock of northern Minnesota
and particularly the Red river valley
must be changed before the crop can
again be profitable. .sSeed must be
imported from some locality or local.
ties in which the rot and blight which
have been 50 disastrous to the crop in
this section this year, is not apparent,
Otherwise the rot will continue year
by year to devastate the fields OF the
tubers and farmers who plant the
vines will have their trouble for their
plans 4,
The rot this year is wide spread
and leaves hardly potato In the val
ley which Is At for either the table
or for use another year as seed. Mon
tana and southern districts In which
the tuber is known have not been AFT
fected by the trouble to such great
extent, but the crop is nevertheless
short all around. Importation from
foreign potato districts will be the
only hope Of again raising success
full potato crop in the Red river val
ley IA u:
Potatoes In northern Minnesota this
year are very nearly as costly as ap.
pies. Farmers who planted quarter
sections of the tubers are not receiv.
ing a sufficiently large yield to war.
rant digging and thousands of acres
will be allowed to rot in the ground
rather than create expense through
digging operations. The rot is a pecul
lar affection of the potato and is com.
pared to the blight which spread over
all of Ireland years ago.
The tubers rotted suddenly when
the famine in that potato country was
SO severe. The tubers after reaching
partial maturity in the ground, sud
denly turn in to a soft mushy sub.
stance and later on dry out into dust
the appearance when being dug being
that the vine did not produce any.
thing. Farmers who sold their crop
early in the season are rejoicing at
their good fortune while those who
hung out to allow their fields to ma,
ture and now have NO crop are arrang
Ing for some means Of producing both
seed for the coming year and a supply
for the winter season. Shipments
from Montana are being made In large
numbers. Prices around the valley
range as high as 60 cents per bushel
and an even dollar is predicted before
Christmas.
An experienced potato dealer says
potato growers would get better
prices, and help themselves and deal
ers more, If they took more pains with
the product. IN the first place, il they
consulted buyers, they would learn
something about the, kinds demanded
by the market. After that comes the
question Of appearance. A better price
Is obtained for even grades. How the
potatoes will taste or keep will not
be of as much importance to the buy
err, when he deals with the producer.
as the aooKs Of the potatoes at the
time. The man who works In the
small potatoes, or puts a few red and
white in each sack because the hills
are close together, or stoyepipes the
sacks. who in general, mixes the
grades and varieties Is not going. to
get the price ne otherwise would. 20
tato dealers have preached this doc.
trine over and over again, but 1t seems
to take time for potato growers to
realize its truth and value. Sort your
potatoes. attend to higher grades and
prosper.