Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-09-04
DAVIS TAKES STEPS
To OBTAIN FREIGHT
CUTS ON POTATOES
Idaho Growers Favored by ID
Cent Reduction; Want SINH
lar Concession in Montana.
(Tribune's Helena Bureau.)


Helena, Sept. 3.-Upon receipt OF
information that potato producers OF
Idaho had been granted a reduction OF
ii cents per hundredweight upon ship
ments to Missouri river points or east
of the river in order to enable them 10
market their 1922 crop, Chester T..
Davis. commissioner of the Montana
department of agriculture, is preparing
to take active steps to secure like con-
| cessions for Montana growers.
The low price of potatoes, coupled
with a very large production In the
state, estimated at 1,OOO,OOO busnels'
has caused the marketing problem to
assume serious aspects and great ac-
| tivity will be required to unload the
states surplus at a price which VIII net
| the grower reasonable returns.
The Chicago market for western
grown potatoes is now ranging from
S1.2O to S1.35 per hundredweight.
sacked, and as this price is very likely
to be reduced when the shipment OF
| the 1922 crop becomes general a cut IN
the shipping costs will be vital to the
interests of the growers.
Big Crop in Store
The August 1 estimate of the Mons
tana cooperating crop reporting serv-
| ice placed the production in the state
at 7.O56OOO bushels. an increase OF
about 10000 900 bushels over the 1871
! crop. which was estimated at 5,O60,OOO
! bushels.
At the same time the United States
department of agriculture estimated
| the 1922 crop for the entire United
| States at 439, 900. 900 bushels, or an
increase of 93,O77,00O bushels over
the 1921 crop of 346, 5000 bushels.
In commenting upon the potato pros
poets, weather, Crops and Market, y
the weekly bulletin published by the
| United States department of a%gricul-
ture, date of August 26, says:
According to the August estimates
of acreage and crop condition, present
indications are for a large crop of
potatoes. Acreage is estimated at A.
Dos. 900 acres. or five per cent above
the average for the five years, 1916
1920. The August crop condition IS
estimated at S4.3 per cent compared
with a 10-year average of S1.3 per
cent. This indicates a bumper crop,
the August estimates being for a pro-
duction of about 40, 0 ,000 bushels,
which would be approximately IS per
cent above the five-year average.
VIII Exceed Average
The crop condition may, of course,
be expected to deteriorate somewhat
between now and October, since that is
what happened with each of the crops
from 1900 to 1920. From 1900 TO
1920 the average loss in condition from
August to October was SO per cent,
mad allowance has been made for such
a loss in forecasting a production of
40. DOC. 900 bushels. Allowing for the
average deterioration the crop condi-
ton for October would be S43 per
cent, minus SS per cent, or Io.4 per
cent. Since the average October crop
condition for the past 10 years has been
1913 per cent. it car be seen that If this
year follows the general rule, the crop
condition in October will still be
above the 1O-year average.
The August estimate of 440,0OO.00O
bushels equals a per capita production
of approximately four bushels on the
basis of the present population of APP
proximately 109.O00.0n0. During the
past % years there has been a per
capita production of four bushels or
more in six years only.
U. S. Small Consumer
"A study OF prices IN THESE year
shows that with but one exception the
price in the New York market The
following March was considerably lower
than in October. The one exception
was the year 1923, when the Marct
price was only three cents higher Ih'
price trend on the Chicago market dur
ing these years was similar.
, 1.-THE United States is not a iarg,
consumer of potatoes compared Wit
the consumption in European countries
1t is reported that the normal per cap
tia production is nearly 20 bushels II
Germany. 10 bushels in Austria: /,
bushels in Belgium. Is in Holland; l:
| in France, II in Denmark. nine IN hun
Y gary. six in Great Britain and Ireland
and more than 10 in Canada. ines
figures include the potatoes used 10
: seed, for making starch and for stocI
o feed.
. For 81 years. l9O0-1920, the pc
= capita production in the United state
; averages 3.6 bushels.
"Unfavorable conditions may Sc
. ~ . h