The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1910-04-14
Maine Potatoes.
w. T. Billings Urges Formation of a
Maine Exchange,

w. T. Billings Urges Formation of a
Maine Exchange.
At meeting last week of the Water
vile Board of Trade, w. T. Billings,
industrial agent of the Maine Central
railroad, in the course of an interesting
address, referred to the desirability of
establishing potato exchange in Central
Maine. He said, in part:
"There is no influence in the world so
powerful as the local boards of trade to
should cooperate with the farmers and
you should teach the farmers to cooper
ate with you. Right here in Waterville
you now have an opportunity to work
with producers in shaping condition of
enormous benefit to this community and
the entire State. Central Maine is grow
ing every year in Importance as potato
growing section. The growers have had
a bad year in some sections, have been
told. Why? Because the poor quality of
potatoes raised in one section of the State
injured the reputation Of those in all other
parts and the innocent ones had to suffer
with the guilty. The men who shipped
out that first poor product did an i'm
mense amount of damage to themselves
and to the entire State, although they
thought their action would be temporari-
ly profitable. 1t may have been, but
they will more than pay for their ad-
vantage in the future. 1t is not true that
too many potatoes were planted in Maine
in 1909 for profitable marketing. 1t is
true that too many poor ones were sent
out early in the season to enable any one
to make satisfactory profits. You should
know the truth and you should tell the
world the truth.
Central Maine was not at fault and
Washington county was not to blame.
The potatoes raised in these sections were
up to the mark; they would have been
sold at good profit were it not for the
poor tubers thrown on the market by
short-sighted producers in another Sec
ton. Too many good potatoes cannot be
raised in Maine, but few bushels of
poor ones are altogether too many.
"Only short time ago l spent a week
Investigating the methods Of co-opera-
tive marketing associations in number
of the middle States, among them several
potato exchanges. What learned must
be told at another time and believe it
will be of interest, because am of the
opinion that in order to make agriculture
successful in any State, up-to-date bust
ness ideas must prevail in the handling of
the crop and getting it to the distribu-
tors. was told by the manager of one
potato exchange that not one-half the
usual amount of Maine seedlings would
be purchased this year, because of the
damage done by the first poor potatoes
sent out. 1t may or may not be true.
know that the situation is one which de-
mands your earnest attention and it
should be considered at this time.
CHOW Central Maine potatoes were all
right in 1909, and you should do every
thing in your power to have that truth
known and recognized. You should go
still further You should see to it that
the crop in subsequent years is all right,
and that the world recognizes the fact.
Waterville is the natural center of the
central Maine potato district. You have
just beyond here the Dover & Foxcroft
and the Belfast branches, and on these
lines are towns in which the production
of potatoes is increasing enormously.
There are now potato houses at Corinna,
Burnham and Thorndlke, and it is expect
ed that additional ones will soon be- built
at Brooks, Unity and other places. At
Skowhegan two houses are required to
store the production, and Norridgewock
also boasts two, with more farmers grow
ing potatoes on the Somerset railway
F, every year. At Gardiner some of the
best seedlings of the year are to be found
and there are extensive fields at Rich
mond and in the great sections on both
sides of the Kennebec river south of this
city. Therefore, Waterville is almost in
the geographical center Of a great pro-
ducing region which will increase in inn
portance enormously as time goes on.
"Here, then, should be established a
potato exchange for that important Sec
ton. 1t should be composed of the pro-
ducers and business men. It should have
for it's aim the good of the growers
first, by marketing the product to the
best advantage in the centers where the
highest prices prevail, and, second, by
assisting the farmers to buy certain sup
plies at the lowest possible prices by
purchasing in large quantities. 1t should
also aim at the production of the best
quality of tubers and let the world know
that the best is raised here, and it should
not be slow in holding the producers to a
high standard. 1t can accomplish Won
derful amount of good in every direction
OF affairs relating W Lue poCdIO lIuuSCIy
and pave the way for the establishment
of similar societies for other products of
Maine.
81 propose to go more fully into the
methods of cooperation at another time,
because to mention the details would take
a longer period than can be devoted to
the subject on this occasion, but from
what found of the success of other as
sociations l am convinced that an ex-
change here would prove satisfactory and
profitable from the start and become of
benefit to the whole of Maine.
81 would suggest that business men of
Waterville assist the producers in pre-
pairing the necessary plans and offer sug-
gestions on the methods Of operation. In
other States it has been found profitable
for others than the growers to invest
small amounts of money in the associa-
tions. The favorite price of shares is
from $40. 90 to $500, and the number of
shares to be held by one individual is
limited to small percentage. This is
%SToP s Sp0P