St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1917-05-09
THE POTATO AND IT'S USES.
Average Production In This Country

The most important problem or the
world today is the future food supply.
In this the potato is an important fac
tor Potatoes form Is per cent of the
food of European and Englisn-S speak
ing people. Only tho oriental races
exist without it, Should the potato
crop fail in Europe famine would re-
suit.
In 1911-12 the United States i'm
ported large quantities of potatoes
from Europe to make up the amount
needed for consumption here. This
led thoughtful students to enquire why
the United States should not grow
more potatoes? Have we not suffi-
cient area suited to the crop? Or, i:
the, average production per acre toe
low? If the latter is tho case how
can it be increased? =
We can and must grow more and
better potatoes. There are good dis
tricts for potato growing still unde.
veloped. Also by better methods o.
cultivation and propagation. the YIELD
per acre may be greatly increased
The average production in the United
States is only 1913 bushels per acre
while Germany raises 1878 bushels
and Great Britain 1864 bushels pei
acre. In the United States the aver
age consumption per capita is from
three to four bushels annually. while
| in some parts of Europe, it rises tt
| over, rs bushels per individual.
The potato furnishes cheap
| wholesome food. therefore it's use coule
| be increased with benefit to the race
| It's high value depends upon it's nu
tritive quality and it's easy digestibility
| One-fourth the weight of the potato il
| food-substance. OF this nine- eleventh!
I is starch, three-fourths of the remain
| der protein and tMo-fifths alkaline salt:
combined with citric and malic acids
The starch of potatoes is more easil,
/ digested and assimilated than that O
| wheat. corn or other cereals. It il
+ deficient in fat, therefore we ado
cream or butter in serving. But it il
especially rich in alkaline salts, chief.
/ potash, which is most helpful in main
| tanning the blood in it's best condition
j and the body in health.
~ Potatoes are also a good food
j remedy for various diseases, as dia
] belts, biliousness, anemia, rheumatism
and govt, and encourage the growth
/ Of friendly bacteria. They are usefu
lin avoiding excess of meat and f1sl
| in the diet, thus preventing hardenin,
of the arteries, premature old-age.
i The potato may also be used in pro
/ duction of many valuable articles o
4 commerce. A kind of spirit to burr
| may be distilled from the potato an,
so reduce the price Of gasoline an
i kerosene. A high-grade glucose, su
Il perior to that made from grain, whic]
i is used in confectionery is derive
II from the potato in some countries
Potatoes are also a valuable source o
commercial starch.
II A very interesting book published b.
Doubleday, now in the Museum, en-
titled 1.-The Potato Book" gives niue
/ valuable information about the potato
it's eed-growing and selection. prope
storage, cultivation, and the balance
food for soil for potatoes.
The Irish are an example of tn
kind of sturdy and enduring race o
/ people fed on diet of potatoes, but
termilk and oatmeal. The free us
Of the potato is believed ;, also to
an. effective cause of longevity alst
For all these various reasons there
fore, the greatest effort should b
made at this crisis to increase tn
4 potato-crop, both by enlarging tn
area of it's production, and by increas
ing the yield per acre up to il
| maximum.
81 ALICE w. WILCOX