The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1911-05-17
POTATO PROFITS IN
IDAHO


profit for the man who tills the soil.
We hear about the romance OF
Wheat, the kingly rule Of Corn. the
commercial dignity of Oats and Alfal
IA, of Barley and Rye, and we count
them as sources of great wealth for
those who make the earth their serv.
ant
But, granting to the grains and for.
ages the credit that is due, there are
wide stretches of land in Idaho pro
ducing cash yields from potatoes that
make the average grain production OF
states farther east appear exceedingly
small.
And there are SO many more acres
OF the same kind, that have not yet
been given a chance TO show what
they can do, that the money-making
possibilities of Idaho. so far as pota
toes alone are concerned, cannot be
estimated.
Idaho won national publicity in 1910
as the result of the awarding of prizes
of $500 and $3.50, given by Mr.. ID. E
Burnley OF Salt Lake City, Utah, Tor
the best and second best yields OF
potatoes produced on q single acre of
land in territory tributary TO the Ore
gon Short Line, Pacific & Idaho North,
ern, idaho Northern, Idaho Southern
end Payette Valley railroads.
The Oregon Short Lire, together
with the affiliated lines mentioned
abcve, tr2verses the states of Idaho,
Utah, Oregon, Washington, Montana
and Wyoming, SO it will be readily
seen shat the winning of prizes for
which there were competitors from so
wide a territory was an accomplish
ment OF great importance to the vic
tor!ous state and Of lasting credit TO
the successful growers.
The results of this contest. partici-
pated in by so p;any OF the most pro-
gressive farmers in the prescribed dis
trict, were amazing, and the follow
Ing accO'3at Of those results. with fig
ures SLOWING what the returns signify
In the matter of profits from the land.
should erove interesting to everyone
concerned in agricultural affairs.
Through Mr.. l.. a. Snyder, the first
prize Of $500 was won by Twin Falls
county. Idaho, with the "Dalmeny
Challenge" variety of potatoes. The
second prize of $3.50 went to Canyon
county, Idaho, through Mr. W. 3. Gil
'nore with the .Peachblow" variety.
On his winning acre of Idaho land
Mr.. Snyder raised 645 bushels Of pota-
toes. weighing 3S.6S5 pounds The
culls weighed 4,15O pounds. leaving
34.535 pounds of the finest marketable
potatoes, or about 575 bushels.
At 20 cents per 100 pounds, or AZ
cents per bushel, the price Mr.. Snyder
received. the one prize acre produced
s241.74, besides the ALSO pounds. or
almost 20 bushels, in culls, which
were available for home use.
Mr.. Snyder has given TO the Com
mercial Club of Twin Falls some fur
Their facts showing the possibilities of
potato raising in his section of the
country. He reports that from three
acres OF land he harvested S95 sacks
of potatoes. averaging 10 pounds to
the sack He sold 1,500 bushels at AZ
cents per bushel. receiving $3.50. and
he had IS sacks left for seed.
An average gross profit Of s210 per
acre when we consider how much
smaller Is the average gross profit
from an acre of grain. gives the read
er q fair idea of what the intensive po-
tato farming opportunities OF Idaho
really are.
Going little more extensively into
figures. We may safely presume that
the average family OF, say. five per-
sons consumes about five pounds of
potatoes per day. That ought to be
liberal estimate-a pound of potatoes
per day for each member of the fam
fly. large or small.
The 3S.6S5 pounds Of potatoes raised
by Mr.. Snyder on his prize acre of
Idaho land would. therefore. supply
the potato needs of more than 90 such
families for a year, allowing each fam.
lily 1.725 pounds, or 2S$4 bushels.
1t is fair to say that a $50 gross
yield from an acre of wheat is a good
return. So we see that Mr.. Snyder's
prize acre of potato land brought
forth as much money as would eight
acres OF wheat land
II Mr. Snyder were to realize from
ten acres OF his potato land as well as
he did from the three acres which gave
him 5000. he would have s.. 100 at the
end Of the season. besides more than
enough SpuGs for his own use and for
the next seasons planting
There's real money" in Idaho pota-
toes
The combination that won the Bur-
ley prize" says Mr.. Snyder, was the
most productive soil in the West. eli
mate uneXcelled, plenty of water fer
irrigation at all times. enc of the best
varieties Of spuds. and man with
some experience and not afraid of
work
tages and possibilities Of the Oregon
Short Line country All of the farm
ers who entered the contest in which
Mr.. Snyder carried off first honor
came out wonderfully well. Mr.. Gil
more harvested S1.4.6 pounds OF
"Peachblow" potatoes from the acre
that won for him the second prize. and
many others Were close competitors.
Added encouragement for those who
have never tried potato growing as a
proft-making business is found in the
fact that Mr. Snyier's potato expert