Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-10-29
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FoF
POTATOES.
post. Idaho Falls.l

The potato business OF Idaho Falls
and vicinity is looming UP big as one
of the chief assets of the entire valley.
The Idaho potato is achieving distinc-
ton in markets both east and west,
both as to size and quality. Mr.. Jones,
who was in Idaho Falls several weeks
ago in the employ of the government
in connection with the sugar beet in
dustry stated at that time in speaking
of general agricultural conditions, the
country over, that travelling in Michi-
gan, also a great potato country, that
it was impossible for him to get a
really palatable potato. at many of the
trestaurants. However, one day he
saw on the menu card baked potatoes.
Idaho variety, and Immediately said
to a friend that now they might en-
JOY a thoroughly good potato. The c..
M. & St. Paul railroad is making a
feature of large sized baked potatoes
for their dining car service. Last year
from local potato growers alone five
car loads of potatoes were shipped out
of Idaho Falls to meet this demand. An
average price of As cents above the US
ual price was paid for these potatoes
Idaho Falls dealers have informed the
writer that at least that number of
cars will be shipped out for the same
purpose at the same rate above usual
market price. Allowing 900 bushels
to the car. and after adding the As
cents to the present market price, $1.95
hundred. one carload of potatoes
represents a monetary value of about
$S46. Figuring on the same basil of
600 bushels to the car, at the mark ct
price for the average size potato it Is
seen that car load will total 1854.
Shipments of 25 car loads of potatoes
in one day from Idaho Falls are not
unusual, and on those days allowing
the present price per hundred weight, a
total amount of $1,000 is received by
Idaho Falls dealers for their tubers.
Through Agent Bowers the state
ment is made that 20 carloads a day
for a month have been sent out from
this city.
Now let us see Just what those fig
ures represent in cold cash. 25 carloads
in one day, at an average carrying ca
pacity of 500 bushels per car amounts
to just $4,000 bushels. For 80 Gays
the amount of bushels sent out totals
$4,000 Figuring again on the basis
of s1.90 per hundred, the amount re-
ceived for one month reaches a total
of $4,000.
A farmer east of town who Is liv-
ing on a rented place, informed the
writer few days ago that he is get
ting this year one-third of the crop of
potatoes for his share. anG that he is
clearing 800 per acre. And his sales
were largely made at the beginning of
the season when prices were consider
ably lower than at present.
A prominent potato grower In what
is known as the upper Taylorville dis
trict states that the approximate num-
Der of acres in his immediate vicinity
devoted to potato growing is 1000
acres. He also stated that the yield
this year is 135 sacks to the acre and
each sack is considered as holding two
bushels. Allowing the present market
price O sum of $257.S0 is arrived at for
the total profit, after allowing $50 per
acre for harvesting and marketing
which this same potato grower said
was a fair estimate.
Using these figures again, 1000 acres
of potato ground in the Taylorville
district represents total profit OF
$257,S00 to the farmers who are grow
ing potatoes this year.
The figures given represent n very
small part of the total values which
cannot be arrived at until the potato
season is past, but, 1t does give a very
comprehensive idea as to the profits
which are being made this year on
potatoes.
There is no reason to believe that
another year Will see. a very great de-
crease in prices. but on the contrary
every reason to believe that prices win
remain very high in every commodity
for a long time and perhaps always
Meanwhile enterprising farmers from
every state in the union are coming
TO Snake river valley to make invest
inents in this RICH prosperous section
and share in the profits to be derived
from agricultural operations in this
region. The number of farmers who
have come here from other points with
nothing but their stout hearts, their