The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-09-03
Growers Do Not Believe
Prices Will Fall Below
IS Cents This Fall
70 BUSHEL YIELD
SEEN BY EXPERTS
General Situation Not Sat-
isfactory, According to
Many Reports

4 anu To-Day. me tFOsL Stops the CROWN
of potatoes wherever the vines have
| been hit.
The exact extent of the damage to
corn and beans still is uncertain.
Clay county growers do not take
kindly to the published suggestion of
| SO cents a bushel as the probable
| price of potatoes. They do not hest
tate to declare that 1t is an attempt
to bear the market.
! That the price will not fall below 70
1 cents is the opinion of many of the
best posted growers of the county.
They do not look for an average
yield, and say even the best fields will
not produce a fair crop. The cost
per acre fors the 1917 crop is double
/ that of any previous year. The value
of the seed planted averaged $50 per
acre, and increased cost of labor and
paris green for spraying brought the
1 total expense of growing an acre OF
tubers to about $55 an acre. --..
Acreage About Normal.
The acreage for the county is
about normal, the increase in the
eastern part about balancing the de-
crease in the valley section. The
set" is small and will probably av-
erage four potatoes to the hill Some
sections report from one to three
vine.
The quality of the 1917 potatoes is
the best ever grown in this locality.
All are smooth, firm and free from
| disease or knobs. The crop is made,
| for the killing OF the vines by the
frost Sunday morning put an end to
the growth of the tubers. Digging
will begin as soon as growers feel
| that there will be no more hot wealth
or that would cause the tubers to
scald after they have been dug.
This year there will be less danger
of field frost than usual as there
has been no heavy fall of rain to
wash the protecting earth from the
hills. On<account of the dryness of
the soil the potatoes will come clean
from the diggers.
Profiting by their experience, es-
pecially last year when thousands of
bushels of potatoes were frozen in
the. ground, growers will do their
digging early. All threshing will be
out of the way before the potatoes
are ready for the digger. Those who
have even what they consider small
yield should make arrangements at
once to take care of the potatoes
after they are dug. Unless the grow
er has cellar storage for his entire
crop he should not lose any time but
get the material on the ground to
line and roof temporary cellars or
pits. He may find no cars available
for moving the crop from the field,
or he may find the price hammered
down by the spectators. It is more
than likely that he will be confront
ed by both of these conditions.
Sees 70.bushel Average.
Eugene ID. Grant does not believe
the potato crop the country over is
as large as 1t is reported. If II is, this
year will be the first time that the
estimates have held true. AS to the
yield, Mr.. Grant does not think the
average for the county will be over
20 bushels at the outside. He would
not consider an offer less than Is
cents and could not see any reason
for the price being much below
dollar. Prices in Chicago and the
twin cities are from 81 to $1.25 and
| will probably hold close to those fig
ures. Heavy yields in some sections
of the country are Offset by partial
failures and light yields in other
Save the Crop.
Most important of all is to save
| the potato CROP" is the warning
word of e. C. Schroeder. When our
potato crop should be moving to the
eastern markets there Is every prob
ability of transportation shortage.
To guard against loss every produce
er should provide storage room for
all the potatoes he has raised. II he
| has no cellar he should at once make
ready pits that will keep the potatoes
perfectly If properly constructed.
| Pits must be dry. They may be lined
| the important item. 1t must have
sufficient pitch TO carry of the wa
| ter and the pits must be placed
| where drainage is possible.
81 recently returned from Colorado
and the growers there are making
preparations to store the potato crop
on the farms. They will not be
caught mapping but will be prepared
to save every bushel raised. While
there Is the average acreage in Colo
RADIO the potato fields are spotted
and many well informed men be-
lieVe it will prove a hard season on
account OF a short yield.
There is no assurance of a big
yield in Michigan and Wisconsin for
| the crop in those states Is just In
| the making now. Late maturing
varieties are grown and weather
conditions for the next month will
determine the yield.
Clay county will produce about a
| so per cent crop and the man who
| sells any Of his potatoes for less
| than rs cents is a chump. The Ohios
are the finest we have ever raised.
/ They are of medium size, smooth and
round and clean. There has been less
disease than any year in my ex-
Sees 81 Potatoes.
Reports of low prices have been
| circulated far and wide. ] received
a telegram from Senator Fl. G. Davis,
Granger, Wash. asking If 1t was true
| that Minnesota growere are con-
tracing potatoes at from 80 to 40
cents. My father, Henry Schroeder,
has sold several carloads for october
delivery at from $1.15 to $125. That
doesn't look like 80 cents. believe po-
tatoes will be worth 50 before spring
That IS why want to see the Farm
ers take care OF their crop instead
Of sacrificing what they have pro-
duced.
Garden and small plot yields will
have some effect upon the market
for the next two months. After that
| the demand will increase steadily.
The grower who sells from the field
| Is in competition with every garden
plot in the country. Buyers will store
all they possibly can and get the
benefit Of the advance in price. Why
not the producer get the benefit He
can and will IL he has place tc
store his crop until the price war
rants selling
Excellent Grade.
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