POTATO. 



187 



kinds are hard to keep from sprouting, and the late kinds keep 

 the best. 



Starch. When potatoes are low in price, they can be profit- 

 ably worked into starch r but for this purpose starch factories 

 must be nearby. Such factories are not expensive and should 

 be more common in this section. 



The demand for potatoes seems destined to increase very 

 much. There is a growing- demand each year from the Eastern 

 and Southern states for Northwestern grown potatoes. Under 

 ordinary cultivation in this section, they seldom yield more 



Fig. 98.— Six good varieties of early potatoes. 1.— Ohio Jr. 2.— Early 

 Ohio. 3.— Burpee's Extra Early, i.— Early Harvest. 5.— Freeman. 6.— 

 Good News. 



than 150 bushels per acre of marketable tubers, and the aver- 

 age even in favorable years is probably not over 120 bushels 

 per acre. There are, however, recorded yields here of 800 

 bushels per acre, and they often yield over 400 bushels. 



Varieties. There is a very great difference in varieties, but 

 many kinds closely resemble one another. There is quite a 

 difference in the adaptability of varieties to soils. The large 

 coarser kinds are good for starch but not desirable for table 

 use. Most markets prefer a white or pink potato, rather long, 

 oval in form and smooth, but the fashions change and vary 

 considerably. Some of the varieties at present regarded with 

 much favor are the following: 



