The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1915-02-12
THE LOWLY POTATO
BY Mrs. Byrd Trego

For the past FIVE or six years marked efforts have been made
to make the American people acquainted with the lowly potato,
and to introduce it into more general use, but the effort has not
met with the degree of success that was expected.
When | say acquainted" | mean closely acquainted. They
were the subjects of lectures at farmers Institutes, on demonstra-
ton trains, they were written and printed about in the newspapers
and in books, they received attention on The Governors SPECIAL,
a train which covered much of the eastern states and received
special attention from the press. They were exhibited and praised
and demonstrated and given away in cartons at the great land
shows held in Chicago and elsewhere; they were sent by express
to the president, to governors Of states, the mayors of cities, the
managers of dining car systems; they were sacked like peanuts,
they were Grated like onions; they were boxed like lemons; they
were wrapped like oranges they were placed in cartons like shredded
wheat. They were cooked in all the different ways; they were
baked like biscuits, they were served like an egg with the small
end up and the proverbial lump of butter on the top and sailed
and peppered to suit the taste; they were pronounced good, and
wholesome, and delicious. Hotels and railroads had their potato
day" demonstrations when everybody ate potatoes, and some OF
the best brains of commerce have tried with organizations great
and small, to adjust the problems of supply and demand and trans
portation. We have heard of the profits OF the starch factory tor!
using the culls, the wood alcohol factory, the storage cellars and
of feeding them to the sheep and the hogs. The total result isl
that potatoes are still handled in pretty much the same old way
This county is full of farmers who have lost money on potatoes
unfaiingly for years; nobody wants to hear about potatoes; there
are no lecture trains for potatoes, no land shows, no potato days
in hotels and dining cars, and if any h~ousekeeper in Blackfoot|
wants a sack of really good, well sorted potatoes, she has to per-
suade some farmer to put them up especially for her, and ne does
it as a personal favor.
settled him for future seasons and that was secured at the expense
of potato growers in other states whose entire crop was a failure
that wear. He knew full we'll why his potato checks were so tat
that special season, and it would seem his good judgment was
faulty when he anticipated successive seasons would secure him
like results, for the potato crop is quite a sure one in practically all
of our northern states from Maine to Oregon, and most of them
much nearer market.
We are told in potato books that 2 per cent of the food of
the European and English speaking people is the potato, and that
a crop failure may come at any time. The supply has always been
equal to the demand, and who would plant one crop to the excu-
sion of others because some prognostcator said there might be a
failure in production of this special product. The prognostcator
knows no more about it than the farmers who plows, plants and
waters and has abiding faith that there will be an increase in the
aggregate.
AS another argument for planting a big crop, the potato
book by Grubb says one and oneffth pounds of potato contain
as much %nourishment as one pound of chicken. Granting that all
this is true, how many of us are going to stop eating chickens,
providing we can get them!
Again the book says "The potato, buttermilk, and oatmeal
diet Of the Irish has developed one of the most sturdy races of
men to be found anywhere" Would a common sense farmer plant
more potatoes because that assertion is true when he knows full
well that as soon as the 1rishman lands in America he takes to ham
and mince pie like the proverbal duck does to water?
Raise potatoes, certainly but don't let fairy tales get the bet
ter of your Judgment. As a matter of fact the potato is an excel-
ent food, and l am indeed glad we can and do produce a superior
articles. But it is only conspicuous in the diet of the laboror and
Door man. The rich man has them served to him only with hi,
dinner. And then there are so many other vegetables and meats
and salads and dainty deserts he has capacity for only half a spoon
full. The large class of wage earners of clerical or sedentary
habits use them. more than the autocratc rich man, but they do not
form a great portion of his meals. The laborer who tolls generally
\ has them in some form three times a day and that is right for
thew Wit other food give the nourshment he requires for his
muscular work. Who wants to compel this laborer to pay a fancy
price for his foods? What he needs is a good potato at a reason
able price, and the farmer should grow a reasonable amount, for
uuh;ch he should receive a fair price.