Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1915-03-02
POTATO PROBLEM
RI WRITES ON STARCH
MANUFACTURING.
I Now Being Planned With Ca.
ty That Will Consume Sur
lus and Stabilize Prices.

whose investigations infor
on the potato starch manufac
possibilities has been brough
attention Of the potato grow
GENTLY addressed a meeting Of
S on the subject of a potato
factory. In an interview he
he following statements:
+ several years past the de.
MT of agronomy has been Civ.
siderable attention to the mat.
developing new markets for
potatoes including the posi-
for the successful manufac-
potato products. Through the
of the college capital has be-
Interested and the situation in
Ute is being studied with the
view of establishing a po-
arch factory.
ior to 1912 the market for Ore
otatoes was excellent. Since
me largely due to an excess in
tion, prices have fallen off and
arket has become very uncer-
This has so discouraged the
IS that there is danger of this
ant agricultural industry suf-
a serious relapse.
tatoes are one Of the most val
cash crops the state produces,
ditions throughout Oregon, ex-
t extreme elevations are very
BILE for profitable production.
.op is adapted to a very wide
I of farm conditions, and hence
interest to every farmer. Aside
heir Importance as a cash crop,
es are of great value indirectly
ltlons for maintaining fertility,
ying weeds, and improving
A steady market, however, is
tive if the crop is to be profit
rown.
trough the use of the best cul-
methods, proper rotation and
election of pure, disease-free,
ielding seed, the Oregon farmer
mpete with potato growers any
in the matter Of yields, quality
,st of production. The only re-
lent, then, for the success of
dustry is some method of regu-
the relation of the supply to
emand, and thus maintain a
market at good prices. If the
can be kept off the market and
table potatoes, uniformly high
y supplied to meet the demand,
will be little danger in the fu-
{ a demoralized market, such as
d in 1912 and have had since.
he question then is whether the
supply can be taken care of in
profitable way. After having
considerable study to this ques-
[ am satisfied that the manufac-
If potato products offers the So
In 1913 | presented this ques-
o the Portland Chamber of Com
and later also to the Oregon |
facturers association. Since
time, capital has become inter
and the establishment of a po-
starch factory is now definitely |
ed.
uch factory, having a capacity
70 tons of potatoes per day, will
from $4,000 to $4,000 to es-
h and put into operation. AT
ce of from 20 to 30 cents per
|, the farmer will receive a very
able return from his culls, which
ow a dead loss. In years when
larket for the table potatoes is
due to over-supply, the crop
be very much more closely
d, only the highest quality being
on to the market for table use
II of the excess shipped to the
factory. Thus, the table mar
rice may be maintained, for the
factory offers a profitable re-
% the farmer for all of his ex-
crop. With the successful es-
hment of one factory, others
ollow, so that the entire potato
re of Oregon may be fully taken
f.
hen the Oregon table crop can
'e closely graded, its high quail
Il command a premium on the
California market. The favor
ioil and climatic conditions of
n, together with the use of bet
ID and production methods, will
he Oregon grower the advan-
n competition over the growers
: other region.
ON the manufacturers stand
the potato starch industry is
promising. Analysis of many
IS of Oregon potatoes show
o have a range of from is to %
mt starch content, with an av-
of 20 per cent. 1t will be pos
for the manufacturer to pay
% to 80 cents per bushel for his