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 

 1910-1915 is shown by the following tables: 



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



1910-1915 millions of dollars, 1910-1915 



Potatoes 161 Corn 1,601 



Wheat 113 Hay 829 



Corn 109 Cotton 728 



Oats 68 Wheat 682 



Rice 54 Oats 462 



Rye 48 Potatoes 215 



Barley 35 Barley 112 



Tobacco 102 



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 ly Continents (1909-1913) 



Continent Millions of bushels Per cent of crop 



Europe 4,905.4 89.6 



North America 437.5 8.0 



Asia 57.9 1.1 



South America 48.2 .9 



Australasia 20.1 .3 



Africa 5.1 .1 



Total 5,474.2 100.0 



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

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

 tries are as follows : 



Production and Yield Per Acre of Principal Countries 



Millions of bushels, Average yield per acre 

 Country 1909-1913 1910-1915 



Germany 1,682 205.7 



Russia 863 107.9 



France 489 116.3 



United States 357 97.6 



United Kingdom 254 222.8 



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