414 FIELD CROPS 



cost of handling and transporting from one place to an- 

 other. The average farm price for potatoes in tlie United 

 States for the ten years from 1908 to 1917, inclusive, was 

 76 cents per bushel. The average price in Texas for the 

 same ten years was $1.27; in South Carolina, $1.32; in 

 Florida, $1.36; and in New Mexico, $1.13. 



In this connection it may be noted that the states where 

 such high prices prevail are those which grow very small 

 acreages and produce comparatively low yields, and that 

 all these states ship in potatoes rather than have a surplus 

 to ship out. A large part of the crop of the Southern states 

 is early potatoes shipped to the northern markets in early 

 spring, when they often bring a high price. During the 

 fifty years, 1866-1915, the highest average farm price of 

 potatoes in the United States on December 1 was 79.9 cents, 

 in 1911; the lowest was 26.6 cents, in 1895. In 1916, a year 

 of general high prices and of a short potato crop, the 

 average farm price was $1.46. The average acre value for 

 potatoes in the United States for the five years, 1913-1917, 

 inclusive, was $83.37. The highest acre values of the potato 

 crop are found in the West and in Maine. The average 

 farm value in Nevada for the five years mentioned was $163.12 

 per acre, and in Maine, $158.58. The lowest value per acre 

 was in Minnesota, the average being $62.98. 



564. Exports and Imports. The United States is still 

 an importing nation ; that is, ordinarily there are not quite as 

 many potatoes produced as are used. The average annual 

 exports for the five years, 1912-1916, were 2,659,000 bushels; 

 while the average quantity imported during the same years 

 was 3,638,000 bushels. 



ROTATION 



565. Rotations for Potatoes. Potatoes fit into a rotation 

 very much as corn does; that is, it is a good crop to follow 

 clover or grass and grni)i ci-ops succeed well following it. 



