Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-04-13
POTATOES AND STRAWBERRIES.

lnere was a story several years ago OF a man
who owned a tract of land in the cut-over district
of northern Minnesota who conceived the idea of
devotlng his land to the raising of strawberries on
a large scale. The fact that wild strawberries grew
there %profusely was evidence to him that it was
good strawberry land. He cleared up several acres,
removed most OF the stumps, and set out strawberry
plants by the thousand. The plants grew and
yielded beautifully. But there the owner was stuck.
lie had plenty of fruit, but he didn't know what to
do with it. AS a matter of fact, he couldn't do any,
thing with it. He was miles away from a railroad,
a settlement, or even a decent wagon road. The
strawberry crop is one which needs a great deal Of
occasional labor. If people enough to carry the
work over the peak were employed they would be
idle a good share of the time, for there was nothing
else for them to do. There was no local demand
tor the fruit, and the cost, of hauling it to a shipping
point would have been greater than the gross re-
celpts. Moreover. no provision had been made for
finding a market, and Strawberries must be used
promptly or they are a dead loss. Naturally, one
season ended that enterprise.
- The Herald does not vouch for that story. The
yarn is told as it was received. At any rate, it IL
illustrates a point. 1t has a bearing on the potato
industry. There is reason to believe that not a few
OF our farmers are preparing to act as injudiciously
in the matter of potato raising as this man is said
to have done in the matter of strawberries.
There is pretty general agreement among ex-
perienccd men that the potato crop, judiciously
handled, taking one year with another is one of the
most profitable crops that the northwestern farmer
can raise. But there is also a very well defined be-
lief among experienced men that a lot of our peo-
pie are going to lose money on potatoes this year
by planting acreage beyond their facilities for hand
ling. Opinion differs on a number of points, but on
this one point there seems'to be substantial agree
ment among those who have given the subject i'll
telligent study from the standpoint of actual ex-
perience. t .4a
Any farmer who knows how to raise a crop of
any kind can raise at least a fair crop of potatoes.
But intelligence, and skill and industry will not
keep potatoes from freezing if they remain in the
ground too long, and will not protect the owner
from loss if the crop remains unsheltered through
incle1nent weather after harvesting.
Potatoes must either be stored securely or
shipped Immediately after harvesting. We know
what difficulties there are in the matter of car sup
ply at times in the fall. If cars are not available
the crop must be stored in pits or in permanent
cellars. Pitting is costly and hazardous. Cellars
cannot be constructed on short notice, nor can cen-
trail warehouses which take the place of cellars be
provided in a few days.
One hundred acres OF potatoes may be expected
to yield 10000 bushels. 1t ought to yield a great
deal more. Frost-proof storage for ten thousand
bushels is an item to be considered. Its construc-
ton takes time, and material, and money. Without
that storage either on his own land or at his ship
ping point the grower of such a crop is gambling
with all the chances against him. Conservative men
are issuing warnings, but it is unfortunately the
rule in such cases that nobody pays much attention
to warnings except to recall them after the damage
has been done.