m THE SOILS AND CROPS OF TitE FAtlM. 



crops of the country, by tobacco. The cultivation of 

 potatoes does not increase so rapidly in the United 

 States as does that of other leading crops. In ten 

 recent years the increase of acreage was about 25 per 

 cent. 



Germany is the greatest potato -growing nation of 

 the world. Russia, France and Austria each produce 

 much larger crops than do the United States. Great 

 Britain and Ireland, with a less acreage, also have a 

 larger annual product than does this country. The 

 crop of 1891 is believed to have been larger in Europe 

 and America than that of any former year. 



Uses. — The potato is chiefly used for human food, 

 but a large part of the crop is also used as food for 

 cattle and hogs. The refuse potatoes in many coun- 

 tries are fed to farm animals either cooked or uncooked, 

 and sometimes the whole crop is so used if the price 

 is especially low. 



Great quantities of starch are made from potatoes 

 in this and other countries. Sometimes sugar or syrup 

 is made from the starch. Considerable quantities of 

 intoxicating liquor are distilled from potatoes in some 

 countries. 



Potatoes are healthful, palatable and fairly nutri- 

 tious as food for man. They have a large percentage 

 of water. The chief defect for food is in the small 

 percentage of albuminoids. The potato is not well 

 adapted to be the exclusive diet of man. In parts of 

 Ireland it has been so used at times. . 



Varieties. — The number of varieties of the potato 

 is very great and is rapidly increasing. As in other 

 somewhat similar cases there is confusion in regard to 

 names. Varieties, which are much alil^e, are some- 



