ECONOMIC PLANTS 



235 



to be dug, either in the field or garden, as too much of 

 it will adhere to the tubers. They should be left on 

 the ground only long enough to dry the surface thor- 

 oughly and should then be stored in dry, cool cellars 

 in bins which allow a free circulation of air. 



Maine leads the other states in the average yield of 

 potatoes an acre, her crops showing an average of 175 



FIG. 121. Digging Potatoes. 



bushels, but Wyoming, California, and Florida are not 

 far behind. In regions where the farmer's entire de- 

 pendence for moisture is the rainfall, the average yield 

 for two successive years may vary widely. For in- 

 stance, in 1904 Wisconsin's average potato crop an acre 

 was 126 bushels, which dropped to 68 bushels, or only 

 about half the yield in 1905, a dry year. Michigan, 

 Minnesota, Illinois, and Nebraska showed a corre- 

 sponding decrease. 



