The Marietta journal. (Marietta, Ga.) 1918-1944, 1922-03-09
COOPERATE AND
BUILD POTATO
STORING PLANTS
Editor Marietta Journal,
Dear Sir:

Dear Sir
1t is very good and encouraging
news indeed that the Marietta pro-
gresSive business men have taken one
very important step in the right di-
rection toward relieving the present
depressing situation by creating bet
ter marketing conditions through the
grain elevator that we are assured
will be erected here soon. Now that
the good work is started / hope your
paper viii kindly allow space for the
outlining OF an idea that if taken
up by our able business men, posi-
bly, in connection with the PROPOSE
grain elevator company, would, | be-
lieve, do more toward reviving and
restoring general prosperity than any
other one thing along this line.
There are many small farmers who
have not the necessary acreage on
which to grow grain, not the ma
chinery for harvesting it, but who
could profit by the plan outlined be-
low. There has been much said
about cotton, boil weevils, diversified
crops and so on; but | think that
practically everyone will agree that
one of the msot important present
need is better marketing facilities for
crops that can, under the present
general condition of the average cot
ton lands of the county, most easily
and profitably, take the place of
King Cotton as money crop on ev-
cry farm with proper storage, curing
and marketing facilities. That crop
is Porto Rican Yam sweet potatoes.
Any of the average cotton lands of
the county will easily produce one
hundred bushels Of marketable po-
tatoes and better lands proportionally
more per acre. Now we have the
worn out cotton land which in its
present state will produce good Yields
of potatoes and hundred of farmers
who would be anxious to enter con-
tract to grow an acre or two to the
pillow at moderate price, say $1,00
per bushel delivered in bulk at a
aGuring house in Marietta.
Now what the farmers need is to
enlist the sympathy Of the local bust
ness men who are wiling to take care
n6f that part of the problem which
the farmers cannot. The farmers
heed to interest men who can and
will build and establish a proper po-
tSt0 curing house of large capacity,
and who will secure a man who is eX-
pert and experienced in the process
of storage and curing sweet potatoes
and the proper grading and Grating of
them in presentable form for advan-
tageous marketing-men who know
how to put the potatoes on Northern
markets where they will demand a
good price, men who will see that
Marietta has, Immediately, a much
needed Potato Growers Co-opera-
tive Curing and Marketing Associa-
ton" and give the farmers the priv
ilege of selling through the Associa-
ton on a commission basis any po-
tatoes they might grow and cure in
individual curing houses on the farm.
Let's get together and cooperate
for the general good of all, let con-
tracts to the farmers, which should
be evenly distributed among them
according to their farming capacity,
one or more acres to the pillow: what
ever is required to fill the house of
the size you wish to build, let the
farmers 90 ahead with the prepare
ton and growing of the potatoes and
there will be ample time for the COM
pletion Of the curing plant while the
crops are growing and all be in read
mess to receive the crops by digging
time next fall
Potatoes are a great food crop not
only for folks but also for livestock
on the farm. With the production of
thousands of bushels of salable pota-
toes there would naturally be hund-
reds Of bushels Of culls which could
he utilized to great advantage as
food for manv additional porkers on
the farms of the county.
Sweet notatoes are also excellent
food for mich cows.
Let's pull together and nrosner ard
fo~ret our associations" with old
''Mr Hard Times"
A. FARMER.