Fortunes for Farmers 



the commencement of the twentieth, there were 

 several unfavourable potato seasons, when the 

 current varieties like Up-to-date and British 

 Queen became diseased, and seemed worn out, so 

 that there was an insistent call for new sorts that 

 should resist wet weather. The raiser of Up-to-date 

 — Archibald Findlay — introduced two varieties 

 to meet this demand — Evergood and Royal Kid- 

 ney — and these met with immediate favour, for 

 they performed as much as they promised, and 

 every one was anxious to try them. The first 

 growers made .£50 or more an acre, prices which 

 then seemed gigantic, and these fortunate people 

 boasted everywhere not only of the enormous 

 profits but of their foresight in obtaining these 

 varieties first, and announced their intention to try 

 anything else of the same sort that came out. 



The time was ripe for something bold. Findlay 

 brought out a potato heralded far and wide as 

 " the best yet " — the famous Northern Star, 

 which, he said, was an extraordinary cropper and 

 disease resister. Having but a small quantity, he 

 only allowed a few to any one customer at £1 per 

 lb. Suttons announced also a " marvellous new 

 early," the Discovery, at the same price, and these 

 were eagerly snapped up. The boom was well under 

 way now, farmers rushed for potatoes at a sove- 

 reign a pound, and what followed was but natural. 



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