Tabor City tribune. (Tabor City, N.C.) 1946-1991, 1947-08-07

built the first sweet potato stor
age house.
From that small beginning, the
industry has grown until Tabor
City itself has eleven curing anC
storage houses with a total capac'
ity of 53O.5O0 bushels. In the
area are other houses which in.
crease the total by at least one
third.
Into these houses pour the cream
of the sweet potato crop during
each day of the sweet potato har-
vesting season. There they are
graded, cured and prepared for
marketing.
Within the past year. two de-
lhvdration plants were Installed by
| the Carroll Sales company, own
ed and operated by B. A. GarrelI
This has opened up an entirely
new field for the growers because
| it is the culls and non-Standard
types which are dehvdrated for
feed purposes. As the market
levels off from wartime standards
dehydration is expected to play an
increasingly larger part in The
economy of the industry. WITH
the return of a buyers market, if
appears likely that the HIGHER
quality potatoes NAV bring even
better nrices and the non-"taHd-
ards will find lower price level.
If this is true. the sweet potato
may be turned into feed TO the
profit of both growers and feed
buyers.
While no need for for iHrreaSed
curing and storage space is indi-
Gated at present, one Ol more
modern houses to replace build
inps that have become obsolete
i will be erected in Tabor CITY dur
ling the next two years. Addition
all of the area buyers, anon"
al facilities NAV be REQUIRED BY
whom are f. w. Fonvielle & Son.
| w. A. Carbett, NJ. G. SanviS Com
pany, B. A. Garrell, Chadbourn
Storage Company and Mrs. NJ. NJ.
Stephens and Sons.
Development Of the sweet 20
tato industry in the Tabor City
area had been attributed in part to
the hand Of nature which blessed
the section with a type of SOD
most suitable for growing thu
vegetable. With proper seed an'
correct methods of cultivation
soil in the Tabor City area yield.
a smooth attractive potato with :
highly palatable flavor. II
smoothness and flavor, it is uneX
celled anywhere.
However. Tabor City'S groWtl
as a center of the industry ha
been due to several additions
factors, among which are improV
ed quality of seed, growing o.
vine potatoes rather than sprou'
potatoes, better care in handling
and improvement in marketing
methods.
I The wartime market which re-
duced the premium on quality de-
layed many of the changes that
appear vital. The margin Of price
etween the potato grown from the
sprout and the one that is prodnr-
ed by setting out the vine is Ger
tain to widen in the years to come.
However, the Tabor City area Is
getting ready for this Inevitable
ity and both growers and buyers
have inaugurated a movement
with a three-point objectiVe; |,
certified seed; 2, disease treated
seed, and g., vine potatoes.
With more than a million bush
els indicated for 1947 and with
the sweet potato taking its place
alongside tobacco in the rich farm
lands of the border area, dealers
are now concerned with expand
ing their northern markets. How
soon more comprehensive adj
| vertising campaign may be inaug-
urated, local dealers would not
venture a guess. But follow-ur
to the publicity given by the ag-
ricultural division of the Atlantic
Coast Line Railroad Company will
receive the support of the indus
try in Tabor City.
Sweet potatoes are rich in en-
ergy producing ca rbohydrateS'
| calories and many Of the mineraS,
| and these facts may be the key to
open the door to the greater mar
kets.
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