Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-02-12
hR00STOOk POI
TAT0 SITUATION
NOT PROMISING

Houlton. Me- Feb. 1r-The potato
situation In Aroos.ook today is any
thing bat promising. 1t is estimated
that during the past month there has
an average. hauled to the Houlron
markets The price has fallen from the
- mark to s2.7s and many Of the buy
ers claim that should many potatoes
come in. the price would soon drop TO
3e5s or even lower. The outside mar
Ike. is dull The high price paid in
the early part Of the season was IN
warranted and should never have been
quoted II was started by few specu-
shortage the price Of -Aroostook poia-
toes must Of necessity be high. These
high prices quoted so early il the sea-
son caused the farmer 10 think that
the 81 and IS mark was 70 be the sure
result Those who paid s. and 1875
for many potatoes are wondering II
, they are 10 break even on their trade
Outside Of this price. there IS the stor-
age and insurance not counting the
shrinkage and cost Of the handling
Of the stock.
Farmers are usually here al this
time of the year hauling II their stock
but this year there seems TO be lun
and as result money is scarce. Some
say potatoes are TO, as plentifGl n
Arooeroek as one has been led 10 sup
pose. Others say only abut 80 per cent
ot the years crop has been sold. That
tae yield while not 50 large in places.
IN other places was extra large; many
farmers reporting q yield Of from 1875
to $50 barrels per acre. Many Of the
buyers hardly know what to expect
and the old buyers say they do not
look for fancy prices, although they
would he surprised to see the price go
as high as s. to $3.50. not higher un-
less for some extra seed stock.
Just now the Aroostook farmer is
brought 10 a place where he will have
to substitute something for Paris
green. Just wha. this new bug juice"
: is 10 be is quandary with them. It IS
said there is no, over 500 pounds Of
; Paris green in the country today and
there is no prospect Of more being
manufactured owing TO a scarcity Of
blue yitrioi and white arsenic. With
out this protection farmers feel they
. will be terribly handicapped. while 9TH
! ers say if there are no more bugs the
coming season than there were last
. season, there will be no need Of exteF-
mination.
The price Of Paris green has jumped
from q to SO cents per pound and blue
vitriol. which could be bought for three
and four cents per pound last season,
now costs Is and II cents per pound.
The farmer is beginning to realize
the high cost Of planting potatoes with
its many worries and many are talk
ing the situation over and earnestly
considering the advisabiiity Of taking
up extensively the planting Of oats and
wheat and other grains. Last season
Aroostook harvested one OF the largest
crops Of oats in its history. Today
oats are selling for IS and SO cents per
hushei. Many wideawake farmers also
planted wheat and as result today
have their own -four which means quite
an item considering that the price Of
-four is soaring every day.
Aroostook farmers on a whole are
OPTIMISTIC and stu cling to the tact
that the potato market is stiil to soar
higher and they are still holding for
the 81 and IS mark. The weather and
condition Of the roads throughout the
fail and winter could not have been
any better for the marketing Of the po-
tato stock. It is said that a number
Of our farmers still have from 1900 to
$500 barrels Of potatoes and all trust
that their hopes may be realized and
the high price prevail 1t would mean
much to Aroostook county and the
State Of Maine yet the presen, outlook
does no: indicate nigh prices.