Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-08-23
10C0NSERvE POTATO
Officials Of Food Administration
Give Advice.
Unusual Facilities for Financing Stor'
ace Have Been Arranged and Q
Comprehensive Plan Of Action
10 Recommended.

WashingtOn.-Oficials OF the food
administration gave u the following
statement concerning the steadying OF
potato prices. especially important just
now:
Unusual facilities for financing stOr-
age are offered American potato grow.
ers as a result of wal conditions. The
federal reserve system Is at their dis
posal. and farmers who store their 1917
potato crop in approved local ware
houses, may obtain. upon their storage
receipts, 90-day loans from membe
banks Of the reserve system at a rate
not to exceed 8 per cent. Mr.. Lou ID.
Sweet. potato expert with the food adj
mlnistration, was Instrumental In
bringing this matter to the reserve
boards attention.
New England growers have started
q movement to take advantage OF this
ruling to help them solve their market
ing problem. The prospect which the
growers of this group of states face
Is that Of handling 100000 bushels
of potatoes-one-terth Of the entire
United States crop--without causing
an overstocked market and the result
ing loss Of all profit OF the crop.
The growers communicated with To-
cal authorities In their respective
states, who in turn laid the situation
before the food administration. A con
ference between the growers, local au
thorities and experts from the foot
administration was held recently q
Boston. Mass. A plan OF action wa
mapped ont at this meeting which in
cludes the following:
!. Marketing Of only one-third Of tn
crop at harvest time; another third II
90 days, or placing in storage and late
distributed as demand affords oppor
tunity; the remaining third to b
stored by the grower and marketed
throughout the year.
?. All potatoes to be graded wit
care, taking out culls, cuts, cracks an
any that are bruised. 1t was recon
mended that a wire screen grader b
used--one and seven-eighths-inch ines
, for oblong tubers and two-inch mes
| for round ones. Graded stock then t
be placed in good two-bushel sacks
r one hundred and fifteen pounds to tn
I sack--and the sacks sewed tightly S
as to prevent shucking and bruising.
3. Increasing the load in each raj
=. .nnl nnv yt,,yp tEA unru1n3 Nltk
pounds. That these cars can be u
, loaded within "A to 36 hours OF the
arrival at destination.
~ 4. That municipalities and 9th
bodies provide storage for as lar'
Y. quantities as possible mt the peak
the harvest.
"a storage house." said Lou
\. Sweet, who attended this meetin
e "such as will conform to the reQuil
ments laid down by the Federal Reser
,r board. does not call for Il specially &C
10 structed house. There are innuIn'
es able buildings, which. If proper
Z. cleaned, ventilation provided, and ma
I'd aged so as to maintain a temperate
of about 81 degrees. will answer a
mirnbly for this purpose.
IT. "This year the United States plant
IN its potato crop from the poorest qu
nv ity OF seed that ever went into
ground, and naturally the harvest "
ca be potatoes Of poor quality. Str
TO- grading, careful packing. CONNIE
If storage, and careful shipping ;
no necessary to insure Just returns to
owe who have responded to
In presidents call for increased prod
nc ton Of potatoes"