The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-10-10
POTATO HARVEST THIS YEAR IS
 DISAPPOINTING Too Much Rain and New Blight Reduces Expected
 Yield. CROP PROBABLY
 TO REACH NORMAL. All Sections of Country Are Hit By Unexpected
 Shortage.

This years potato crop has been reduced greatly. compared with early estimates. Early potatoes were lightly planted and the yield was GU, east.
 Late potatoes were planted in larger acreages than in any season during the past seven years except 1917 and 1918, but dry weather cut down the yield and size of the west ern potato crop, while the eastern crop was somewhat reduced by blight, rot and insects. The net re- suit is an estimated yield of 2S4,- 6O5,000 bushels according to the Sep tember report of the Bureau of Crop Estimates, compared with $40, ,699,- 900 bushels last year, 368, 1925, ,000 bushels the year before, and 229, ,415,- 900 bushels in the short crop year of 1916. The production is about me dium; below the liberal one of last year. and above the well remembered shortage of 1916.
 The sixteen principal northern late shipping states would have a com mercial crop available for shipment of 123, 3,518 cars, compared with 146,- 048 cars last year, which would rep resent q decrease of Is per cent. The losses compared with last year range from per cent. in the leading east ern shipping states to about 13 per cent. in the Great Lakes region and the Pacific Northwest. Middle Western states show heavy losses, in cludtng 61 per cent. in Nebraska and 32 per cent. in Iowa.
 Active Early Movement.
 The early shipments from the six teen leading states are 1256 cars more than last season to correspond ing date, although the estimated crop available for shipment is much less this season. The activity so early in tn eseason may be due partly to the fairly high range of prices and part ly to early maturity of the crop in some states. The heaviest compara- tive gains in shipment from these sixteen states so far were for Maine and the Great Lakes region. These states have crops not far below last year. The West and Northwest is shipping much below last year, 9 might be expected because of the lig-~ yield. The chief exceptions are North Dakota and Washington, both of which show a considerable in crease, although early totals are not large from either state.
 The total recorded shipments in the 191S-19 crop shipping season from these sixteen states were 121 597 cars, compared with the estimated total commercial crop of 146,G48 cars of roo bushels. Actual loadings from soce sections were at times in excess of TOO bushels per car.
 The last of the 1918 crop sold at low figures. The heavy spring ship ments, including much shrunken and sprouted stock, met a poor market when in competition with new pota- toes from the South. Old potatoes in good condition still brought satis- factory prices, Maine Green Noun tains reaching a general range as high as $2.7O-$3.25 per cwt. late in April, but all lines met declines from March to the end of the season. Maines fell to $1.80-$2.25 early in March and closed at 60c-S1 the last of June, at which time nearly all old stock was in very poor condition. New York Round Whites in bulk fell to $1.5O-$2 late in March and to 75c-$1.90 in June.
 The wide ranges at the close of the season suggest that much of the de- cline was owing to the poor condition of old stock. New potatoes at this time were bringing high prices. In fact, old potatoes are not usually shipped and marketed in such large quantities late into the summer as was the case the past season. The 1s17-1S crop was nearly done in April, 1918. It reached low point at $1-25-$1.80 per cwt. early in April for Maine Green Mountains and strength ened to $2 the last part of that month. New York Round Whites in bulk fell to $1.25-$1.50, May 21, 1918, and held at about that range to the end of the season. Wiscon- sin Round Whites also sold at s1.25- $1.50 the last of May.
 Opening Prices for the New Crop.
 Opening prices were fairly high for new northern potatoes, but the market has shown the usual tendency to seek lower levels as the height of the potato shipping season approach ed.