The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-01-23
POTATO SUPPLY
never WAS SO
LARGE AS NOW
Spuds Must Get to Kitchen
However, to Save Wheat
Supply.

The American potato bin is filled
and overlooking. Our spud supply
has never been so large. But the cook
isn't using the potatoes. A full potato
bin is mighty fine thing-if the pota-
toes are put to their proper use; that
is, eaten. But there is occasion for
some anxiety over the slowness Of the
cook. The full bin will be Of no bene-
fit If the potatoes remain In the bin.
They must get to the kitchen and to
the table and be eaten. Otherwise the
bin might as well be empty.
The big potato crop has not been
moving into consumption this winter.
The bulk of the supply is In storage
and is being marketed very slowly.
This Is an abnormal condition, and
very serious one-because 1t has d.
rect bearing upon the most serious
question In the world-the question of
winning the war.
Must Empty Bin.
If the potato bin is emptied during
this winter and next spring it will
mean that by eating more potatoes We
eat less bread and therefore have more
wheat to send to the soldiers who are
fighting for our freedom. 1t will also
mean that the bin will have room to
receive the new potato crop next fall.
But il we fail to empty 1t this winter
that is, II we do not, at once, COM
mence to eat more potatoes than we
have been eating, and commence to
market the potatoes that we have
been hoarding,-the market may be
glutted when the new crop comes next
summer. If this happens, there will
be more potatoes than the bin can
hold and some of the supply will go
to waste.
In turn, this would discourage and
possibly prevent the planting of a
liberal acreage, resulting in short
ened potato supply year from now,
at time when food needs will be even
more urgent than they are now.
What can you do about it?
You can empty the bin. You can eat
more spuds and less bread. Unless
you do eat more potatoes than you
have been eating the bin will not be
emptied.
Market Steadily.
And II you are farmer or a middle
man now holding potatoes you can
market them; get them to moving,
get them out OF the bin and into the
kitchen. Responding to this appeal
will not mean the sacrifice of your
personal interests. All you are asked
to do Is to market your potato hold
ings gradually, steadily during the win
ter and spring, so the present surplus
will have been eaten before the new
crop begins to move about the middle
Of next June.
Your prospect of loss-if you are
holding potatoes-is not in commenc-
ing to market now and continue to sell
slowly. 1t is in failing to do this that
you stand to lose. For If the bin Is
not emptied by spring you may fnd
glutted market when you try to
sell If when the new crop is in sight,
there remains hangover of the old
crop, and If there is scramble of
the holders to unload at once-there
can be only one effect on prices.
So, commence to sell your potatoes
now, Mr.. Holder.
And commence to eat more potatoes
now, Mr.. Consumer.
And perhaps to plant another big
potato crop next year, Mr.. Farmer.
But the latter gentleman cannot rea.
sonably be expected to heed the re-
quest If he sees the present potato
supply go to waste. So the situation
really hinges now upon two factors,
the consumer and the holder-some
farmers. Of course, being included in
the last category. If they will carry
out their part of the potato program
it will mean that we will have more
food for the armies. 1t will mean an
other big potato planting next year.
Largest Crop in History
This years potato crop is 442 $4,000
bushels, according to the latest figures
of the Bureau of Crop Estimates of
the United States Department Of Ag.
riculture-the largest potato crop this
country has ever produced. Last year
the potato production was only 1885,
953, 900 bushels. so we have this win
ter 1876, $50, 900 more bushels in the po
tato bin than we had last winter.
What is the value of these potatoes
not ir dollars and cents, but in terms
OF the only real value anything
possesses these days-its potency in
helping win the war? We can't put
these potatoes in cannon and shoot
them at the Prussians We can't send
them to France.
They have no war value unless you
will eat them and unless you will sell
them. They are liability rather than
an asset If they remain in the bin.
They will help us lose the war instead
of helping us win the war-unless
right now those who are holdig pota.
toes commence to market them, and
everyone commences to eat more po-
tatoes and less bread.
Even aside from war considerations,
potato growers and others now hold.
ing potatoes should remember and
profit by their experience with the
1914 crop. That crop was held dur
ing the winter and moved slowly into
consumption. quite as the present crop
is being marketed very slowly AS
result, in the spring OF 1915. with
new crop in sight, everyone who was
holding tried to unload at once. Each
man realized that he had held too long.
But the realization came too late. The +!
scramble glutted the market. QUAINT
ties of potatoes were absolutely vast |
ed and there were many sales to
starch factories at % and 80 cents a
barrel-not bushel.
This was an economic loss, as is