The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1917-01-11
WILL ORGANIZE
POTATO GROWERS
MOVEMENT STARTED HERE FOR
STATE ORGANIZATION IN
SOUTH DAKOTA
WILL Be A BIG BENEFIT TO WHOLE STATE
Aim at Better Product, Better Market
ing and More Wealth For
The State

A meeting was held at the CONNER
cial Club rooms Friday afternoon to
start a movement for a state organiza-
ton of potato growers. The meeting.
owing to a short notice, was not large
ly attended. However, there were a
number of professors at State College
present together with a few farmers
and citizens of the city, and they
heard a fine address by Leon d. Sweet,
president OF the Potato Growers Asso-
citation of America, of Denver, Colo.
Mr.. Sweet gave an interesting his
tory of the potato, and pointed out
product and as a commercial asset in
the business world. He took up the
growing, breeding and marketing Of
this crop and pointed out the great adj
vantages to be derived from organizing
to promote this work. Where the
growers are organized from 80 to 60
cents per bushel more can be secured
or the market. In normal years South
Dakota produces 100000 bushels
which at wen so cents more per
bushel would net the producers $2,100.-
000 over what they can secure by mar
keting in the hap-hazard way now in
vogue. He closed by urging that the
potato growers of the state get to-
eether and effect an organization, and
with the aid of state College wonders
can be accomplished in building up
good varieties. eradicating disease and
spreading knowledge of rotating and
growing the crop.
Mr.. Sweet stated that there are ass
so-called varieties of potatoes in the
United States but that this number
could be reduced to the following
eleven great varieties: Rose. Ohio.
Michigan, Irish Cobbler, Burbank
Pearl, Rural, Green Mountain, Peach
Blow, Hebron and Triumph. He point
ed out the fact that while the United
States consumes only a little over two
bushels per capita, this amount might
be easily increased to five bushels
which would increase the potato con
sumption over 300, 900 200.
He asserted that one mistake made
by the farmers of South Dakota and
the whole country in the raising of
potatoes is the attempt to grow this
crop too frequently on the same land
without rotation. In Europe it is not
uncommon to get yields of 500 to 1900
bushels per acre in rotations, cropping
the land to potatoes only once in five
to seven years. Mr.. Sweet speaks
with authority since he has won
sweepstakes championships in pota-
toes a number of times and raises upon
his Carbonate ranch in Colorado 500
to 600 bushels per acre.
Chas. McCaffree, commissioner of
immigration, then stated that he and
Mr.. Sweet were to address a meeting
that evening at Watertown and an
other at Aberdeen the next day. and
suggested that a committee be appoint
ed here to work with committees in
these towns to later effect a state or
ganization which can be widened and
built up after a permanent state or
ganization has been effected.
A committee was appointed, as he
suggested, composed of Gordon w.
Randlett, Of State College, as chair
man, r. C. Smart, Geo. w. Cobel, Chas.
Gle. of White, and Geo. Eberlein. This
will later effect a local coun-
ty organization and work with com
mittees in the other cities named for a
state organization.
1t is hoped to get these committees
to attend the Live Stock Breeders
Association at Mitchell January % to
25 and there effect a state organization
of potato growers.