250 The Potato 



cities draws upon several states for its supply of potatoes. 

 The eastern cities often get European potatoes in years of a 

 poor crop, and occasionally these potatoes get as far west 

 as Chicago. 



Range and prices 



There are few crops which fluctuate as much in value 

 as the potato. In a single season the prices may show a 

 range of as much as 70 or 80 cents a bushel. The highest 

 prices are usually obtained in the late winter and early 

 spring just as the early potatoes come on to the market. 

 This value is not likely to fluctuate a great deal while 

 early potatoes are abundant, but it drops off rather sud- 

 denly as soon as the late crop comes in. Usually the price 

 for a bushel remains fairly constant through the winter, 

 though it may fluctuate a little either way. Later in the 

 winter it is likely to rise somewhat or to drop off slightly. 

 These fluctuations in price are due largely to a change in 

 the relation of supply to demand. 



In 1899, the farm price was as low as 22 cents in Iowa 

 and as high as $1.10 in Arizona, with an average price the 

 country over of 36 cents. In 1915, the prices ranged from 

 35 cents in South Dakota to $1.15 in Florida, with an aver- 

 age of 61.6 cents. These wide fluctuations in price illus- 

 trate the effect of supply and demand upon the value a 

 bushel. The average farm price a bushel for the years 

 1906-1910 was 60.4 cents. The highest average farm 

 price on December first, since 1866, was 79.9 cents in 1911, 

 and the lowest in the same period was 26.6 cents in 1895. 

 In recent years, Arizona has had the highest value to the 

 acre, averaging $127.68 for the 5 years from 1910-1914. 

 The lowest value to the acre during the same period was 



!.43 in Missouri. 



