The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1906-04-12
THE POTATO SITUATION.
Recent Advances Maintained and Firm
Market Prevails.

THE POTATO SITUATION.
Recent Advances Maintained and a Firm
Market Prevails.
Chicago-The market has been in
good shape this week and the recent
advances are pretty we'll maintained
all along the line. There was an easier
undertone early in the week because
local buyers had been supplied during
the past few days and were not in the
market to buy freely. But holders of
stock have been pretty firm in their
ideas and there has been nothing that
has developed so far that would war;
rant a reduction in prices further than
a temporary decline of a cent or two.
Potato growers who have had the
nerve to hold on to bunch of pota-
toes seem to be confident that there is
no reason why they should stumble
over themselves to sell just now, and
those who are in close touch with the
situation report this sentiment all over
the country where stock is held by
growers. Even some of the heavy
operators in potatoes seemed to attach
little Importance to the outlook for a
continued advance in the market and
were consequently caught short when
prices began to 60 up. Others, how
ever, who we're quick to size up the
ground, supplied themselves with a
bunch of stock which has already
Melted a good profit.
Inquiries for potatoes have been
coming to markets in this territory
from practically all over the country.
This seems to be pretty good reason,
as dealers view the situation, for the
present market to maintain itself.
Besides, buyers who have been taking
stock have only bought sparingly,
that is, car or two to take care of
their immediate wants. Very little if
any speculative buying has been done
and no one doubts that this fact goes
to show at least two things. First,
buyers have been hoping that potatoes
could be obtained for less money and
the second inference is that most
points have only small supply on
hand. Granting that these conditions
are true, which seems to be the case,
the potato men are perhaps not far
out of the way when they take the
position that the advance has come to
stay.
The Packer is still receiving reports
from various potato sections which
are in direct line with the numerous
reports published heretofore, viz:
That warehouse stocks in every Sec
ton are practically exhausted and
that the supply on hand is far short
Of what it was a year ago. Still,
it is an erroneous idea that there are
not any more potatoes. Quite the
contrary is true, for every now and
then some fellow bobs up that has
1000 or 1000 bushels of potatoes
which can be bought, but none of
them are any too anxious to sell. The
scattering lots of potatoes referred to
are, of course, only drop in the
bucket as compared with what stocks
are held throughout the entire coun-
try, and the only reason any mention
is made of the fact is because a great
many growers seem to have got their
ideas set on a 81 limit or something
of that kind. And even the wisest
potato men do not care to go on rec
ord as to how high the market will
go. Still, there are very few if any
who believe there will be any sensa-
tional prices paid for potatoes unless
it turns out that weather conditions
are very unfavorable and that the
new crop will be late in getting on the
market.