The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1914-02-05
MARKET IS WEAKER
Tendency Toward a Decline In Prices
in Consequence of the Falling ~
Off of Outside Demands.

Government Estimate of the Quantity
of Potatoes Remaining in the
Hands of the Growers.
A weaker local potato market is
manifest with tendency to de-
cline in prices. This is due princi-
pally to the fact that orders from
outside points have materially fallen
off-when there is but light demand
from foreign buyers the home mar
ket, as a natural consequence, be-
comes Inactive. A few struggling
wagonloads of potatoes are coming
to the warehouses from the growers,
but buyers, under existing con-
ditions, are not in the least degree
anxious to fill their cellars.
Something like a hundred cars
mostly Triumph seed stock-have
been shipped during the past week
to ill orders in the southern states,
but the situation generally does not
look very encouraging.
Last year there was an increased
acreage planted to Triumphs in the
country tributary to Princeton with
the belief that there would be a
heavy demand with high prices. The
expectations of the growers, how
ever, failed to materialize-Tri-
umphs at this time are virtually a
drug on the market.
Government Report on Potatoes.
The yearly estimates of the amount
of potatoes remaining in growers
hands and the stocks in dealers
hands on January l in the important
potato states just completed by the
bureau of statistics agricultural
forecasts), United States depart
ment of agriculture, indicate that a
larger proportion of the marketable
crop of potatoes was still in the
hands of farmers on January l than
had been the case for four years past.
The proportion estimated to be in
dealers hands was smaller than for
any year of the four except January
l, 1912. The figures showed that
the total estimated potato produce
tion was below normal, but, owing
to the slow movement Of the crop up
to January |, the supply for the re-
mainder Of the year will be almost
normal. Distribution, however,
seems to be unusually uneven. The
holdings of potatoes are relatively
large in the important producing
states of Maine, Michigan, Wiscon-
sin, and Minnesota; and relatively
small in New York, Ohio, Indiana,
Illinois, Iowa, and Kansas, which
are important both as potato-pro
ducing and potato-consuming states.
Present conditions do not seem to
forecast material, if any, advance in
prices in the important producing
states this year. In 1911, when sup
plies were but moderately larger
than now, and in 1913 the price
movement after January / was down.
ward instead of upward. The only
other factor which may enter to
change the experience of 1911 and
1913 is the somewhat different distri-
button Of the crop which exists this
year.
The estimates indicate that about
42.l per cent Of the marketable sup
ply of potatoes of the 1913 crop re-
manned in the hands of farmers and
9.5 per cent in the hands of dealers
on January l in the important pota-
to-growing states. These figures
compare with 1913 and 9.S per cent
similarly estimated a year ago, 3d.
and S.6 per cent two years ago, 4O2
and 1919 per cent three years ago,
Alp and 80 per cent four years ago.
If, for the purpose of comparison,
these percentages we're applied to
the estimates of total production,
it would show total stocks of 1923
million bushels on January l, 1914,
compared with $50 million a year
ago, 81 million two years ago, 1873
million three years ago. and 142 mil
lion four years ago. These figures
would Indicate that the quantity to
be carried toward the close of the
season will not be sufficient to cause
depressed prices, as was the case
particularly four years ago lin some
states last year a]so), nor, on the
other hand, will they be so scant as
to cause such high prices as pre-
vailed in the spring of 1912.
Our Bird Friends.
The study of economic ornithoIogy
should have place in every school,