THE POTATO 361 



best, and each year thousands of bushels are 

 shipped in by planters and dealers, who buy from 

 Minnesota and eastern North Dakota, in the Red 

 River Valley. 



"Kaw Valley potatoes find their market in all 

 parts of the country; early in the season Chicago 

 and northern points claim many, and some go in 

 the direction of New York and Pittsburg, but prob- 

 ably the bulk are sent south and southwest, especi- 

 ally to Texas, and preferably sold at digging-time. 



"The consensus of opinion of Kaw Valley 

 growers reporting suggests that they consider in 

 the neighborhood of 37 cents a bushel a fair 

 price for potatoes on board the cars, and the 

 range in the past ten years has been from about 

 14 cents to $1.15 per bushel. 



"Two striking features of Kansas potato grow- 

 ing as compared with that in other states surpass- 

 ing her in aggregate yields are absence of need for 

 expensive fertilizers and freedom from insects and 

 fungous diseases. Of the Kansans reporting, none 

 mention using commercial fertilizers, although the 

 majority apply more or less manure, or sow some 

 crop such as cow peas or turnips for plowing under 

 when green, thereby enriching the land and in- 

 creasing its subsequent yields. 



"A most interesting and suggestive fact is the 

 possibility of profitably irrigating, in the more 

 western counties, small areas for potatoes, and 

 other vegetables as well, where underground waters 

 are made available by wind or other power. 

 Several correspondents have realized gratifying 

 success by such means. By it the home demand 

 in such territory may not only be supplied with 

 certainty each year, but the markets of nearby 

 cities and towns would offer for any surplus at- 



