The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1910-11-03
POTATO CULTURE
SHOWS GROWTH
WILL BECOME MORE IMPoR.
TANT WHEN LAND is BETTER
CALLED FOR. SO.
Emissary of the United States Re-
turns and Tells of Industry in
the Foreign Fields.

Washington, ID. c.. Nov. 2.-Po.
tato growing is destined to become
one of the most important agricultur.
al industries in the United States.
according to Eugene II. Grubb, who
was sent abroad by Secretary Wilson
as a special commissioner OF the De-
partment of Agriculture for the pur-
pose of comparing conditions in for
eign fields with those prevailing ia
the United States.
As a result of his observations Mr..
Grubb says he believes this nation
leads as regards implements fol
potato culture but that in view of
the large increase of population that
is to be expected, we have much to
learn with reference TO the mainten-
ance and building up of the soil.
During his survey of foreign fields
Mr.. Grubb visited England, Scot
land, Ireland the Channel Islands.
France, Belgium and Germany. His
observations have unusual interest
for the agriculturist, as he is prob
ably the only specialist who has un-
iertaken this class of work. His first
visits were paid to the big dealers
in Berlin, Hamburg and other cities
and from them he learned the names
of the most successful growers. In.
addition he searched out the potato
breeders and the growers of seed
potatoes and studied methods of
| their farms.
81 spent several weeks in the early
potato districts of the Channel Is
lands England and the Ayr district
of Scotland, sai6 Mr. Grubb, land
later went to the main crop produe-
ing farms of the Lincolnshire. Some
Of the men whom l visited grow from
300 to 2000 acres annually. / gavd
especial attention to D%alscany farm
which is owned by Earl Rosebery.
Great Britian's Production
"From Edinburgh iporth the grow
NJ of seed potatoes IS especially dee
veloped. There is one producer lin
his district who has sent single ship
nents of from thirty to forty car
loads to the southern part of Eng
land, 80 Southern Africa and else
where. The soil in this district is
specially adapted for the purpose,
and it is possible that the science
of growing seed stock is developed
there in a more iaactical I. manner
than anywhere else.
The potato business Oh the other
side of the Atlantic is so stupendous
that it is difficult for a farmer in
his vicinity TO comprehend the ma
y%nitune of the work. For Instance
Great Britain with about 55,000,0 900
acres of farming land, which is less
than the area of Colorado, produces
about as many potatoes as the entire
United States. The Channel Islands,
with only 10000 arabic acres, supply
the needs of $1,000 people. This
means about three persons to the
acre and the density of population is
far greater than in either New York
or Pennsylvania. Such conditions
give al idea of what must be pre-
| pared for in this country. Wher.
the greater population, is an estab-
lished fact there is no question but
that the American farmer can meet
the Emergency, but the agriculture
of the future must differ from pre-
sent practices.
Potatoes have been a staple article
of food in Great Britain for NAM.
years; consequently the best methods
of growing them have received a
great deal of attention. Most of
the lands used by the potato growers
are leased at an annual rent of from
so to $40 an acre. Notwithstand-
ing the cheapness of labor the cost
of barnyard. and artificial fertilizer
and other charges make ii necessary
for the careful grower to spend from
$50 to $40 an acre in order to grow
potatoes successfully. Primitive i'm
plements and methods of culture
prevail, most of the work being done
by hand.
The Channel Islands. where the
Jersey and Guernsey cattle come
from, show the highest profits of any
potato growing district. Under scien
tifc methods their soil has been won.
derfully fertile and has endured for
centuries. The rent of the potato
lands runs from $50 to $50 an acre.
The farmers grow potatoes and beans
or some other combination. The
methods are the same as i'm the early
potato districts of Scotland except
that fertilizer is used more lavishly.
The farmers in the Channel Islands
feed their land just as our best live
stock growers feed their animals.
But on account of the cold winds
from the sea they often lose the
early potato crop, and it is necessary
for them to grow fruit under glass
if they attempt horticulture. i am
convinced that natural conditions in
a state like California, where there
is fertile sold, a long growing season
and irrigation are superior TO those
prevailing in the Channel Islands.
With the anne methods of soil .cul-
ture, of growing and storing the
seed potatoes, and with a similar
generous use of fertilizer, our West
ern farmers could eclipse all foreign
records.
Mr.. Grubb probably is the best
known potato grower in this country.
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