THE POTATO 



The number of pounds of food produced to t'he 

 acre in the potato crop is large, as compared with 

 some other crops. In a 90-bushel potato crop 

 there are 5,400 pounds of food; a 14-bushel wheat 

 crop weighs only 840 pounds. 



Although good yields are made by some growers 

 in the United States, the average production is 

 only 89.8 bushels per acre, while in Germany the 

 average yield is 197.3 bushels, and in Great 

 Britain 186.4 bushels. 



In the United States the average consumption 

 of potatoes per capita is between tliree and four 

 bushels. In Europe it greatly exceeds this, in 

 some sections being more than twenty -five bushels. 

 The potato furnishes a cheap, wholesome food, 

 and its use could be considerably increased with 

 benefit to the race. 



At the Battle Creek Sanitarium in Michigan, 

 under the direction of one of the greatest food 

 experts in the world, 1,000 people consume 7,000 

 bushels per year — seven bushels per capita. 



The use of the potato can and will be very 

 greatly extended. In Europe, especially in Ger- 

 many, the potato is largely used in manufacturing 

 and for stock food. The price of gasoline and 

 kerosene is kept down by the low price of spirit 

 distilled from the potato. A very high-grade 

 glucose, from which confectionery is made, is a 

 potato product. It is superior to grain glucose. 

 Flour which is used in all kinds of cooking is made 

 from the potato. Potato starch is also made in 

 Germany and in the United States. 



It was with the idea of improving potato con- 

 ditions that the senior author wrote the following 

 letter, dated December 7, 1908, to Secretary of 

 Agriculture James Wilson: 



