The independent-reporter., 1910-05-12
THE POTATO CRAZE
Farmers Should Heed the Warnings
Of Agricultural Authorities

OF Agricultural Authorities
Editor of the Reporter
| have read the article In the Inde-
pendent Reporter of this week entitled
Still more potatoes" and beg permis-
sion to say that II by agitating and
discussing this all important question
so closely connected with the prosperi-
ty of all classes, farmers can be pur-
suaded to change their present meth
ods of farming and adopt those more
consistent with reason and common
sense, good work will have been ac-
complshed. There Is one thing GER
tain that farmers as a whole are run
ming wild over this Potato Craze" to
such an extent that they are letting go
of other staple products of the farm as
we'll as farm stock in order that the
potato may have nearly all the chance
there is to grow and flourish and crowd
out not only the other essential crops
but the lasting prosperity of the farm
as well large majority of the
farmers throughout the entire country
have made what may easily be termed
mad rush in one direction and we
see the result. A scarcity of cows,
scarcity of hogs and pigs, hardly any
oxen or steers or sheep; farmers COM
ing to the village and buying at the
stores, beans and pork and other pro-
ducts that should be raised on their
own farms, and this wild cry ringing
out still more potatoes"
OF course some farmers are so fin
ancially situated that they can keep
this up a number of years, but there
are many others that must face about
and adopt a different method or go
out of business. We have had agri-
cultural colleges sending out year af-
ter year professors of the different
branches of agriculture to teach the
farmers. We have had Boards of
Agriculture spreading their agricul-
tural teachings in every direction, and
the agricultural press to aid the
farmer in his search for information.
We have Institute meetings and Dairy
meetings and scientists giving lectures
on all branches of agricultural indus
tries We have had anything and
everything that could be brought to
bear on this great subject of farm
production, and yet right in the face of
it all, our farms are not up to the
standard of production that they were
forty or fifty years ago. There is
much that is wrong, and a radical
change Is the only way to correct It,
Farmers must stop dealing 80 ex
tensively in artificial fertilizers and
potatoes and bend their energies In
putting upon their farms more oxen
and cows AID hogs and sheep. and
raise fields Of corn and beans and
grain, of course giving the potato crop
it's legitimate place, if they wish to do
the right thing, the wise thing, the best
thing.
When l see farmers hauling their
potatoes to market as they are at this
date for twenty cents and engaging
fertilizers for another big crop with
fair prospect of repeating the blund-
er year hence, provided they listen
to the more potato" cry, l feel like
calling the whole thing downright
mismanagement. a woeful lack of
business principles.
know some will take exceptions to
this and say l am too severe ON the
farmers but l am willing to stand by
all that l have written and believe
that | can successfully defend my po-
stion.
s. FRANCIS EMERSON.
May T. 1910.