CHAPTER XXX 

 IRISH POTATOES 



As human food in the world, wheat undoubtedly ranks first, but 

 potatoes probably rank second. In Europe among the poorer classes 

 they rank first. This is due to their easy and cheap production and 

 nutritious property. 



Where Potatoes Are Grown. The relative ranking of potatoes 

 and other crops in the world and the United States for the years 

 1906-1910 is shown by the following tables : 



World's crops in millions of tons, Relative value of crops in United States in 



1906-1910 millions of dollars, 1906-1910 



Potatoes 156 Corn 1,431 



Corn 113 Hay 681 



Wheat 107 Cotton 570 



Oats 67 Wheat 590 



Rice 67 Oats 367 



Rye 46 Potatoes 187 



Barley 33 Barley 92 



Tobacco 82 



Over ninety per cent of the world's potato crop is grown in 

 Europe (Fig. 97), where they are the chief food of poor people, and 

 are also used for stock feed and in the arts. 



Yield of Potatoes 6t/ Continents (1905-1909) 

 } Continent Millions of bushels 



Europe 4,745.7 



North America 378.7 



Asia 38.2 



Australia 19.4 



South America 16.8 



Africa . 4.8 



5,203.6 100.0 



Germany and Eussia produce more than one-half the world's 

 potato crop. The production and yield per acre, of principal coun- 

 tries are as follows : 



Millions of bushels, Average yield per acre, 

 Country 1905-1909 1900-1909 



Germany 1,689 200.0 



Russia 1,048 99.9 



Austria-Hungary 709 134.9 



France 529 133.8 



United States 304 . 92.0 



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