The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1921-11-17
EXTENTION WORKER
TALKS POTATOES
r. N. Miller Gives Interesting
Data Concerning Prices in
Other Years

Potatoes are seasonable crop and
are easiest and quickest affected by
the cycle of over and under produc-
tion," says r. N. Miller, farm man
agement specialist of the extension
service of the state college.
All crops seem to go thru periodic
cycle of high and low production and,
as rule, the price is governed by the
amount Of the crop, together with pro-
duction of allied crops. The length
OF the cycle Of. crops and prices often
depends upon the time it takes a man
to get into and out of crop. Thus
in potatoes this cycle is normally two
years in length, that is, the crop is
large every other year, or in terms of
prices, is high one year and low the
next. Wheat is harder crop to get
into, and out of, and the cycle is
longer, ranging three to five years.
The cycle of hogs is three years, that
of dairy cattle years, horses 10
years, etc.
Last year the potato crop was large
and the price low hence many farmers
would ordinarily be expected to re-
duce the acreage of potatoes, but be-
cause low prices was expected in
many farm crops farmers planted
normal crop in the United States.
Weather conditions, however, cut the
yield down and the forecast for Sep
TENDER shows that the crop was only
$3.50 of normal. Since last year the
crop was above normal the difference
in the total crops Of potatoes is strik-
ingly evident.
The crop last year was about 432
million bushels for the nation. The
last crop report that has come to my
desk shows that the forecast is for
about an $3.50 crop or about Is points
under normal for 55 years, and rs
points under the last ten year aver
age. The later reports may add to
this average, and farmers should
watch for this average to show the
chances for good price in the spring.
Farm crops have moved to market
and terminals in almost unprecented
volumn this fall. Perhaps this con-
dition has been brought about because
of the need for ready cash on the
part of the farmers and the reluct-
ance Of further credit on the part of
the bankers. This has had q tendency
to hold down the price of potatoes
and other farm produce, then, too,
farmers have not forgotten the sud-
den crash of prices last fall.
What is the significance of an $3.50
crop of potatoes? What does small
crops mean to farmers? A study of
the last IS years showing the sea-
sonal variation of potatoes in crop
and price is interesting. During the
55 years studied We have had Is small
crop years, the average per cent of
crop for these Is years is 80 or a lit
tie less than this year. The price
started off in October at Sill per
bushel, and went up steadily until
the peak of the price came in April,
May, and June, starting downward, of
course, in July, for usually farmers
plant heavily when the price is high
and new potatoes were moving freely
in July.
In Ia years there was a small to
medium crop, the percentage being
979o of normal and the price started
off at $50 per bushel, ordinarily
reaching the highest peak in June
with $1.23 per bushel. The range in
price is 33 cents per bushel or about