The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1916-11-04
CLAY IS
ROLLING
IN COIN
Potato Production Reaping
Golden Dollars for For
tunate Farmers
$4,000 ON so ACRE TRACT
Averaged 200 Bushels An
Acre-Hawley Banks
Reveal Prosperity

Two million, five hundred thousand
bushels or approximately 1000 car
loads, is the normal production of po-
tatoes in Clay county. While the pro-
duction this year is not expected to
be more than 100000 bushels, the
tubers are worth more than a dollar
a bushel, and the material income will
be more than in other years when the
production was normal
In 1915 the production was 60 per
cent below normal, and Of the million
bushels shipped out of the county,
the returns were a little more than
$500, 900. This year nearly three times
that amount will be sifted into the
pockets of Clay county potato grow
ers.
HawIey Reveals Result.
Some idea of the prosperity that
this influx of money is inducing may
be gained from the fact that the bank
deposits at Hawley, which, because
of the remarkable yield in the east
ern part of the county, is this years
potato center, have more than doubled
over last year, and practically all the
notes held In the banks have been
paid. The bankers are really worry
ing, and fear that they will have to
send their money to other parts of
the state to keep it working.
Money conditions over the whole
county are IuuCH pSlLSE lIldll III 1SIL,
a banner year in potato production in
the county, when the potato crop
brought more than 100000. Potato
growers at that time needed money
badly, and it was used in settling
debts. Consequently little of the
money was left in circulation in the
county.
East End Best.
Potato growers in the western part
Nf nfxy hn al
that the growers in the eastern part
Of the county did. Heavy rains last
spring kept the land soaked, and it
was not until late in the summer that
the spuds had a real chance to grow.
Indifferent drainage, and the high
waters of the Red river were factors.
Had the production in the western
part of the county equalled that in
the eastern part, several prominent
potato growers have said, Clay coun-
ty would have broken all records this
year. Several have estimated that the
county would have produced $500, 900
bushels had conditions been equal.
$4,000 on 60 Acres.
Acreage production in the county
this year did not reach high figures,
but the average production, especially
on small patches, was more than good.
Dwyer & Leverson at Hawley had
sixty acres, which averaged 200 bush
els to the acre, and though sold at a
contract price, brought the growers
more than $4,000 in real money. 9th
ers. than potato growers, are asking
how sixty acres can be made to pro-
duce that much money.
Few to Hold.
Indications are that few potatoes
will be held until spring, at least a.
considerably less number than in for
mer years. Because of the generally
good prices, growers are cleaning
up" ......... ..... ........
Because of the abundance of rain
the past season, many are of the
opinion that the potatoes are of poor
er quality than in former years This
Is not true.
The spuds, though little larger
and rougher than in former years, are
just as mealy, and Of just as high a
quality as ever, and just as able as
ever to hold their own in competition
with tubers grown elsewhere.