THE POTATO 497 



"From the statements obtained by personal in- 

 quiry among the leading merchants in that line it 

 appears that potatoes are now being delivered in 

 wholesale quantities at 12 to 20 francs per 100 kilos 

 ($2.31 to $3.86 per 220 pounds), according to qual- 

 ity. One firm pays as high as 22 francs ($4.24) for 

 potatoes of the highest class, but this is exceptional 

 and supplies only special and limited demands. 



"The ruling price for imported potatoes of good 

 average quality is about 15 francs ($2.89) per 100 

 kilos, which would be approximately 82 cents per 

 bushel of 60 pounds. The same potatoes are re- 

 tailed in the groceries and provision stores through- 

 out the city for about 5 to 6 cents per kilo ($1.33 

 to $1.60 per bushel). Genuine red-skinned po- 

 tatoes are preferred here, with the white next, 

 and yellow lowest in order of preference. 



"The general opinion of dealers is that toward 

 the end of the winter, when the visible European 

 supply is more nearly exhausted, prices of potatoes 

 will be considerably higher than now, and large 

 quantities are at present held in storage at the 

 *Halles' for this expected advance. New po- 

 tatoes from Algiers and Tunis reach Paris in 

 February, but they are a luxury, so high in price 

 and so limited in quantity that they exercise little 

 influence on the general potato market. 



"Owing probably to the fact that potatoes have 

 not hitherto figured among American exports to 

 France, they are not included among the articles 

 covered by the special arrangement of March, 

 1910, between the United States and French 

 governments, and are therefore subject, when 

 imported into this country, to the maximum duty 

 of 6 francs per 100 kilos (32 cents per bushel) 

 during the months of March, April, and May, and 



