The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1914-02-12
Fhnef Holding Of Potatoes By
Farmers.

/ supply Nearly Norman, uus 0sssa "'sasso''
usually Uneven. Principal Potato FRO
ducins States Hold Supplies, with Short
age In Number Of CONSUMING States.
The yearly estimates Of the amount Of
potatoes remaining in growers na amos
and the stocks in dealers hands On JAN
nary lot in the important potato Statss'
just completed by the Bureau OF n.a..s "a
tics Agricultural Forecasts on.sso
States Department of Agriculture, lnu.-
cate that larger proportion OF the m ~ :
ketable crop Of potatoes was stu IN tne
hands of farmers on January LIST than
had been the case for four years past.
The proportion estimated to be in deal
ers' hands was smaller than for any year
of the four except January l. 1872: Inc
figures showed that the total estimated
potato production was below norma,
but, owing to the slow movement Oh the
crop up to January 1st, the supply TOT
the remainder of the year will be almost
normal. Distribution, however, seems
to be unusually uneven. The holdings OF
potatoes are relatively large IN tne I'M
portant producing States OF aine,
Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota; and
relatively small in New York, Ohio, In
diana, Illinois, Iowa and Kansas, WHEN
are important both as potato-prouucine
and potato consuming States.
In consequence of the firm holding by
farmers, the price early in the season
has been unusually high, being on De,
cember LIST about II IL cents per bushel
higher than a year ago, and 10 - Genus
higher than three years ago, OUT IL IL
cents lower than two years ago, wneh
potatoes on January LIST were selling LOT
n IL cents per bushel, and the supply
was unusually short owing to the drought
of the previous year.
Present conditions do not seem to fore
cast material, if any, advance IN prices
in the important producing States this
year. In 1911, when supplies were put
moderately larger than now, and IN 1918
the price movement after January lat
was downward instead of upward. The
only other factor which may enter TO
change the experience of 1911 and 1913
is the somewhat different distribution of
the crop which exists this year.
Southern growers who plant IN the
spring for the early market would seem
to be justified, from present conditions,
in putting out a normal acreage, but
should not expect the big advance IN
prices which prevailed two years ago:
The estimates indicate that about AL
per cent of the marketable supply of
potatoes of the 1918 crop remained in
the hands of farmers and 9. per cent in
the hands of dealers on January LIST IN
the important potato-growing States:
These figures compare with 1878 and 9.o
per cent similarly estimated year ago.
1871 and SO per cent two years ago. 4O.2
and 1919 per cent three years ago, and |
ALP and SO per cent four years ago. If,
for the purpose of comparison, these
percentages were applied to the esti-
mates of total production, it would show
total stocks of 1913 million bushels on
January l, 1914 lin the 10 States analysed
below compared with $50 million year
ago, 81 millions two years ago, 1873 mil
lion three years ago. and 142 million four
years ago. These figures would indicate
that the quantity to be carried toward
the close of the season will not be suffi-
Gent to cause depressed prices, as was
the case particularly four years ago lin |
some States last year also, nor, on the
other hand, will they be so scant as to
cause such high prices as prevailed in the
spring OF 1912.
To show the relation between supplies
and prices. the following tabulation is
given, showing for the past five years
the production, stock On hand Jan. LIST,
and the prices paid to producers on De-
cember 1st and the following March LIST
in 10 important potato-growing States: