Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1939-02-10
SPUD GROWERS
ATTEND SERIES
OF MEETINGS
County Agent r. T. Grant An
nOunces Potato AllOtments
For 1889
MR.. A. E. MERCKER
SPEAKS ON OUTLOOK

Hill MONDAY anu 1uSSuoy Va eAAAS
when questions pertinent to the indus
try were discussed. County Agent
r. T. Grant announced that potato al
lotments for 1889 would be the same
as those for 1888, although the pay
ments would be somewhat less. The
payment per bushel has been set Tor
Sc as against SAC last year.
In view of the potato acreage TO
be planted, it looks like heavy partlcl-
patton will take place in the crop con-
troll program this year. He also point
ed out that vegetable base should
be given to each grower based on the
average number of commercial vege-
tables planted in 1936-1937. This in
cludes sweet potatoes, tomatoes, straw
berries, beans and other vegetables
with the exception of canning peas.
Any grower who goes above his COM
mercial vegetable allotment will be
penalized $50 per acre. Other than
this the program will be essentially
the same as it was last year.
Mr.. A. E. Mercker of the U. S. De-
partment of Agriculture, speaking on
the 1889 Maryland potato outlook
said:
'The United States potato produc-
ton in 1888 is estimated at 800 900
which is 25,0O0,O00 bushels or 6 per
cent less than the production in 1887.
AS yields per acre averaged almost
as high as those Of 1887 nearly all of
the reduction in the crop was due to
a decrease of over per cent in the
acreage harvested. Thus the crop
produced in the Is eastern late and
intermediate states is 124 million bush
els or 16 million less than the prev
ious crop.
In the 16 central states it is 143
million bushels or million bushels
less and in the western states sc
million bushels, reduction of mil
lion bushels from the previous CROP"
The smaller crop is also reflected
by lower stock of merchantable stocks
on hand January 1, 1889, which a
mounted to O0,806,O00 bushels. This
total is IL per cent smaller than the
113,155,OOO bushels on hand January
/, 1888.
The light shipments of $4,000 car
lots from the late states up to January
1, 1889, should not be alarming be-
cause the location of supplies indi-
Gates that shipments from the major
shipping states will not be as large as
the shipments from the 1888 crop be-
cause the supplies in the acreas near
markets which move the supplies by
truck, is large.
It is estimated that $4,000 carlot
equivalent were moved by truck up to
January 1. 1t is believed that carlot
shipments after January may a.
mount to about $4,000 cars and COM
pares with $4,000 and 10000 cars
shipped after January 1, 1888 and
1887 respectively.
Only minor adjustments are expect
ed from the 100000 acres planted to
early commercial potatoes in the 19
early states in 1888. This acreage
produced record yield of 155 bushels
per acre even though the California
yield was the lowest since 1884. Mary
land planted $500 acres last year and
yields averaged 204 bushels per acre
which was SO bushels above average
Production totaled 1,285,0OO bushels
and shipments totaled LOST. Mary.
Land growers received an average OF
31.25 net, per barrel, basis u. S. No
/ potatoes.
If the 1889 average yields are OBJ
tanned, total production in the 10 early
states would amount to about $4,000,
600 or 100000 bushels or per CEN
less than was produced in 1888. Thi,
production, together with the stock
OF Late potatoes, makes available a
bout 147,O00,000 bushels of potatoe
for marketing during the first
months of 1889 and compares witt
168,0OO,O00 and 136,OOO,0OO bushel
during comparable periods in 1888 an,
1887 respectively.
In. 1887 Maryland growers averages
SLAP net, per barrel for u. S. No.
potatoes and in 1888 the average pric
was $1ll28. It is very likely tina
prices for the 1889 crop will not aver
age any higher than prices during tn
last two seasons because of the heav
movement from North Carolina, Call
fornia and the heavy movement fror
other competing areas during JUNE
If yields are materially lower in tn
early and intermediate states, or
large general reduction in acreag,