508 THE POTATO 



the farmers cooperate to the extent of owning 

 shares in the factory and the other in which the 

 trading is independent and speculative. 



"The different cooperative plants are of course 

 still competitive in respect to each other. They 

 have their own trademarks, they sell indepen- 

 dently through domestic and foreign agents, and 

 are keen rivals in the production of superior qual- 

 ities. Of the thirty-four potato-flour factories in 

 the Veenkolonien, eleven are cooperative. The 

 largest independent factory has a capital of 

 $600,000 and the buildings and machinery are val- 

 ued at $100,000. This factory has small branches 

 in various sections of Groningen. Some of 

 these mills have a capacity for grinding over 

 28,000 bushels in twenty-four hours; the smallest, 

 about one fourth of that amount. Three fifths 

 of the total production of potato flour of the coun- 

 try is ground in independent mills. The demand 

 for Dutch potato flour is always greater than the 

 supply. 



"The season for manufacturing potato flour is 

 usually about ten weeks in duration from the 

 middle of September to the last of November. 

 The fine waterway system of Groningen greatly 

 expedites the delivery of potatoes, naturally 

 shortening the season, and in fact accelerating 

 the industry. The great network of canals and 

 other waterways makes it possible to transport 

 the potatoes directly from the field to the factory, 

 the latter always being on canals that accommo- 

 date forty to 100 ton vessels. Potatoes are sent 

 in shiploads of 2,000 to 3,000 bushels each. Fre- 

 quently these ships are owned by the factories, 

 though sometimes by private individuals or trans- 

 portation companies. 



