THE POTATO 511 



"The production of glucose from potatoes in 

 the Netherlands dates from 1875, since which 

 time it has not only greatly increased but the 

 quality has been improved. Eleven factories, 

 some combined with potato-flour establishments 

 and others working independently, produce glu- 

 cose from potatoes in both the solid and liquid 

 state. From a total production of 9,600 metric 

 tons in 1896 it has grown to 20,000 tons in 1908. 

 Almost all of this glucose is consumed in the 

 Netherlands, especially in confectioneries and 

 cake and jam factories. It is impossible to build 

 up an export trade in this article, owing to the 

 high import duties in other countries and the 

 strong competition it encounters especially from 

 American glucose manufactured from corn. There 

 is a constant fear of overproduction in this article. 

 However, the confectionery industry in the Neth- 

 erlands is so thriving that domestic consumption 

 may keep pace with the supply for a long time. 

 The high excise tax on the article when consumed 

 in the country — 3.28 cents per pound, American 

 currency — is a great bar to its use. The form 

 in which it will find its most successful outlet, 

 therefore, is in a manufactured state, such as 

 cookies, candies, and other confectioneries, as 

 the excise is withdrawn from such articles if actu- 

 ally exported to another country. It is evidently 

 exported in that form." 



"Intensive cultivation" is the lesson to be 

 learned from the European potato grower. 



