230 THE POTATO 



the markets of the preceding year, those who en- 

 gage in the industry, particularly in the West, 

 being influenced very decidedly by the previous 

 year's return. This is an exceedingly unfortunate 

 condition, as the growers should determine their 

 planting, not by their previous year's experience, 

 but by the condition of the crop at the North. 

 The crop of so-called winter potatoes produced 

 at the North has more influence upon the price 

 which will be received for the early crop than any 

 other single factor. The truck farmer should 

 therefore keep a very careful record of the crop at 

 the North preceding the year his planting is to 

 be done. The quantity, quality, and price of the 

 held-over Northern crop are factors which de- 

 cidedly influence the price of the new crop when 

 it reaches the market. A market which is well 

 stocked with old potatoes which have been kept 

 in fairly good condition means a very low price 

 for the early crop when it comes in competition 

 with such stock. As this new crop cannot be 

 retained long in the soil at the extreme South with- 

 out rapid deterioration, neglect on the part of the 

 owner to determine the quantity of old potatoes 

 in sight at planting season, as compared with the 

 normal supply, may mean a very meagre profit, 

 if any, or a very heavy loss if the crop cannot be 

 moved at the proper season at a very satisfactory 

 price. 



"In growing early potatoes, perhaps more than 

 any other single crop, the sources from which the 

 seed is obtained influence the resulting crop. The 

 practice which is almost universally followed is to 

 plant tubers of early varieties which have been 

 grown for several seasons at the North. The de- 

 mand by truck farmers for Northern-grown seed 



