130 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan., 



passes this humble friend in its food value. In the United 

 States it forms one of our most important crops, that of 1899 

 being valued at about $98,000,000. 



Like most of our agricultural plants, the potato seems to 

 have certain regions or localities where it thrives best. With- 

 out doubt the potato belt in this country lies along our northern 

 border, since of the ten states producing crops of greatest value 

 in 1903 five — Maine, New York, Michigan, Wisconsin, and 

 Minnesota — lie in the northernmost tier of States, while the 

 other five — Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, and Colorado 

 — lie just south of these. Another group of States in the 

 central and northern Rocky Mountain region stands out as a 

 potato district, but not so much so on account of the total values 

 of the crops as on account of the great yields per acre — a 

 result apparently largely due to irrigation. At present New 

 York and Maine can best lay claim to be our greatest potato 

 States. In the latter, Aroostook county in 1899 had planted 

 about 42,000 acres, or a greater area than any other county in 

 the United States, while the total value of the State's crop in 

 1903 was over $9,000,000, and the average yield per acre — 

 196 bushels — was greater than in any other State. On the 

 other hand. New York led every other State in the total value 

 of the crop, which exceeded $19,000,000. 



There are certain conditions that make these northernmost 

 States valuable for potato culture. This plant thrives best in 

 a rather cool climate ; it relishes plenty of moisture well dis- 

 tributed through the season, and the mechanical and chemical 

 condition of the soil must be to its liking. These conditions, 

 apparently, obtain best in the above region. On the other hand, 

 the potato responds as promptly as any other plant to intelli- 

 gent husbandry, so the proper attention given the crop is a 

 prominent factor in successful potato culture anywhere. 



So much for the value of the potato as an agricultural 

 plant and its general condition in the United States. My point 

 in this has been to suggest that here in Connecticut the potato 

 may be classed as one of our most important agricultural plants, 

 that the State itself may be considered a prominent potato 

 State, especially if its size is taken into consideration, and that 

 we may well increase the acreage. The following figures show 

 the present situation: In 1903 the total area of the State 

 planted with potatoes was about 29,000 acres — an increase of 

 about 6,000 acres during the last thirteen years. This acreage 



