LESSONS FOE AMERICAN POTATO GEOWEES. 9 



many, and Austria-Hungary, and from Newfoundland and near-by 

 islands where the wart disease had already gained a foothold. The 

 first-named countries have been the principal sources of foreign 

 supply. 



With our great resources, it should be entirely unnecessary for us 

 to import potatoes, but unless the production is increased and 

 maintained, years of shortage may recur and a serious condition 

 arise. 



AN OUTLET FOR SURPLUS PRODUCTION NEEDED. 



The problem of supplying a nation with this important foodstuff 

 at a reasonable price regardless of annual variations in yield has 

 .been solved by Germany. 



There should be produced here, as in Germany, more potatoes 

 than are required for table use and a profitable outlet developed 

 for the surplus. The half of the German crop destined for stock 

 food, alcohol, and starch constitutes an inexhaustible reserve, from 

 which deficiencies in the supply of table potatoes may be filled. 

 That this is effective is shown by the fact that the difference between 

 the highest and lowest average monthly prices for potatoes in 

 Berlin during five years was only 27 cents per bushel, while the 

 fluctuation in Chicago during the same five years' was $1.34. Until 

 a surplus above the needs for table purposes is produced and means 

 are provided for disposing of it at a profit to the grower the present 

 succession of fat and lean years must be expected, and just so long 

 potato growing for market will be a speculative enterprise. 



We are not prepared to answer the question. In what way can 

 surplus potatoes best be disposed of? This problem should receive 

 the fullest investigation, and hand in hand with it should go meas- 

 ures for an increased potato production and for the lessening of the 

 cost of production per bushel. 



POSSIBLE USES FOR SURPLUS POTATOES. 



INCREASED DOMESTIC CONSUMPTION. 



Under the present system the retail prices for vegetables, especially 

 when purchased in small quantities, are not very responsive to lower 

 farm prices; consequently, consumption does not increase in seasons 

 of plentiful harvests as much as would be the case if through better 

 methods of distribution the price to the consumer were lowered. 

 It is conceivable that changes along these lines would make it pos- 

 sible to market a great many more potatoes. 



STOCK FEEDING. 



It is quite likely that the utilization of potatoes in the United 

 States may follow the same course of development as in Europe. We 



