The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-01-21
THE POTATO SITUATION.
Big Crop Has Not Been Moving Into the
Market

The American potato bin is filled an
Overlooking. Our spud supply has neve
been so large. But The cook isn't usinI
the potatoes. A full potato bin is
mighty fine thing-if the potatoes ar
put to their proper use; that is, eaten
But there is occasion for some anxiet,
over the slowness of the cook. The full
bin viii be of no benefit if the potatoes
remain in the bin. They must get t,
the kitchen and to the table and be eat
en-. Otherwise the bin might as well BIZ
empty.
The big potato crop has not been NOV
! ing 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 it has direct bearing upon
the most serious question in the world
the question of winning the war.
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 If we fail to
empty it this winter--that is, if we do
not, at once, commence to eat more po-
tatoes 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 90 to
waste In turn, this would discourage
producers and possibly prevent the plant.
ing Of liberal acreage, resulting in a
shortened 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 help 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 if you are farmer or middle |
man now holding potatoes in storage you
can market them, get them to moving, |
get them out of the bin and into the
Kitchen. Responding to this appeal viii |
not mean the sacrifice of your personal |
interests All you are asked to do is to |
market your potato holdings gradually, |
steadily during the winter and spring, so
he present surplus will have been eaten
,efore the new crop begins to move about
he middle of next June.
Your prospect of loss-if YOU are hold
ng potstoes-is not in commencing to
market now and continuing to sell slow
Y. 1t is in failing to do this that YOU
tand to lose. For if the bin is not emp
led by spring you may find a glutted
market when YOU do try to sell If when
he new crop is in sight, there remains a
eavy hangover of the old crop, and if
here is scramble of the holders to un.
pad all at once--thcre can be only one
fleet on prices
So, commence to sell your potatoes
ow, MIR. Holder
And commence to eat more potatoes
ow MIR. Consumer
And prepare to plant another big po-
ito crop next year. Mr.. Farmer.
But the latter gentleman cannot rea-
lnably be expected to heed the request
he sees the present potato supply 20
, waste. So the situation really hinges
Dw upon two factors. the consumer and
he holder-some farmers. Of course. be-
& included in the last category. Ii they
IN carry out their part Of the potato
'ogram It viii mean that We will have
ore food for the armies. Il viii mean
lother big potato planting next year
This years potato crop l. 4s2.535.OOO
Ishels, according to the latest figures Of
e bureau Of crop estimates Of the init
States department of agriculture-the
rgest potato crop this country has ever