News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1912-05-29
White River Valley Potato Con-
test Again Interests Farmers.


test Again Interests Farmers.
The annual Potato Contests among the
farmers of the White River Valley is
once more matter of consuming inter-
est in northern and central Vermont
$40 in gold is being offered i'll prizes
by the White River R. R., through the
initiative of c. D. Parker & Co., Boston
Bankers, greatly interested in the road,
| to the most successful contestants. This
money is divided into four prizes, first
of $40 for the best acre of potatoes raised
this year, a second of $40 for the second
best acre, third and fourth prize of IS
each for the third and fourth best acres
In addition to these prizes the railroad
is offering $40 in gold for the best yield
of apples from an orchard of six trees
and a second prize OF So tor the next
best yield from an orchard of the same
size. The town of Sherburne has been
added this year to the list of places in
which contestants must raise their crops,
so that the territory of the prize district
now includes tockbridge, Hancock,
Granville, Rochester, Pitts6eld, Gays
vile, and Sherburne.
Similar prizes were offered last year
and in 1910, stimulating great activity
among the farmers eligible as contest
ants, and arousing widespread inter
ert among agriculturalsts throughout
the state. This responsiveness has
caused the White River Valley R. r to
hold the contest again this year, for the
eagerness shown by the competing far
mers indicates that these contests are of
real value in calling the farmers atten
ton to the productive possibilities of
Vermont's soil.
Three years ago the railroad discov-
cred, upon investigation by experts, that
the soil of the White River Valley was
very similar to that of the Aroostook
County, Me-, where farmers have grown
rich in the last few years by raising an
increasing acreage of potatoes each year,
Aroostook' S crop last year was at least
$1,000, 900 in value, representing a G alp
to the farmers of so per cent in one year.
The railroad reported the results OF its
investigation to the farmers and induced
competition in potato cultivation by
means of prizes, for the management
felt that once experience had proved
the district possibilities to the farmers,
the latter would act on their knowledge
and develop the region by growing rich
themselves
From market, importation, and census
reports. it is now possible to state posi-
lively that potato raising in the United
States, and particularly in New England,
will return the grower an unusually large
and assured profit, perhaps bigger than
can be secured from any other SIM
gle crop. From a recent investigation
made by the Boston Herald, it is shown
that the retailers profit on potatoes av-
eragcs 2S per cent Of their cost TO him,
the WHOLESALERS makes 81 per cent on the
cost to him, but the farmer makes 27o
per cent on the actual cost reproducing
the potatoes. Thus, the farmer not only |
gets the biggest income on his share of
the money invested in the business, but
a larger percentage return than is being |
made in almost any other enterprise.
The reason for the farmers ability to |
command such return is found in the |
fact that domestic demand so far exceeds |
domestic supply that it is now necessary
to import potatoes. They are coming |
into New York now at the rate of g. Co.,
600. a month, according to the Wall |
Street Journal These imported pota-
toes, on account of higher foreign pro-
1uction cost, the expense of long carries,
and protective tariff of twenty five cents
a bushel, sell at higher figure, and they
he nd af he
which means that the domestic growers
but the importation costs. Hence, the
Dig profit to the American farmer
The census figures tell why the do
nestle supply does not equal the domes-
JIG demand. Forty years ago when sup.
ply and demand more evenly balanced,
only one. sixth of our population lived in
jhe cities Today over one-third of the
American people are urban wellers, and
n no part of the country has the drift
10 the cities" been more marked than in
New England. This means that the
present demand upon each farmer for
his products is over twice as great as 1t
vas in 1870, and that the New England
'armer has an advantage over farmers
elsewhere, in that he is next door to the
markets where this demand is most
acute. By applying advanced agricul-
ursl methods, which mean labor saving
md bigger yield per acre, there is no
,eason why Vermont farmers should not
cap the benefit of their position in the
resent economic situation and make
themselves rich by growing potatoes.
But there is one caution every farmer
must observe orsutfer loss in consequence
md that is the proper protection of the
potato crop from the ravages of blight.
This protection can be made perfect in
fleet if care is taken to spray the plants
literally with a reliable "oug destroy err
UGH as Paris Green, at the right time in
Ie year, which is when the first few
ggs make their appearance on the leaves
f the Young plants. A large supply of