POTATO 



POTATO 



521 



rious crop, as in northern Europe, potato-grow- 

 ing has been extensively developed. Yields of 

 1,000 to 1,200 bushels of potatoes per acre con- 

 taining 10,000 pounds of starch are on record. 

 About 30,000,000 acres of potatoes are grown an- 

 nually in Europe, and of 

 this area one-third is in 

 Russia, the average yield 

 per acre being about 95 

 bushels ; Germany is sec- 

 ond in total area with 

 8,000,000 acres and a 

 yield of nearly 1,600,000,- 

 000 bushels, an average 

 of 200 bushels per acre. 

 France grows between 

 3,500,000 arid 4,000,000 

 acres, Austria nearly 

 3,000,000, Hungary 

 1,500,000 and the United 

 Kingdom 1,250,000. The 

 average yield of England 

 is about 230 bushels per 

 acre, that of Ireland 

 about 150 bushels. The 

 United States grows 

 about 3,000,000 acres, 



and the average yield for the past ten years is 84.5 

 bushels. Since the potato thrives best in a cool 

 climate, potato-growing has been developed to 

 the greatest extent in the Northern states. (Pig. 

 745.) According to the report of the Twelfth 

 Census, the five states reporting the greatest 

 number of bushels in 1899 were New York, 



38.060.471 bushels ; Wisconsin, 24,641,498 bush- 

 els ; Michigan, 23,476,444 bushels ; Pennsylvania, 



21.769.472 bushels; and Iowa, 17,305,919 bushels. 

 Pig. 746 shows the average yield per acre in 

 bushels for the period 1900-1904. 



In Canada, the potato crop has always been 



important, although the output has not shown so 

 great an increase as some other crops, notably oats 

 and wheat. In 1871, the potato crop was 47,330,- 

 187 bushels. In 1901, it reached 55,362,635 bushols, 

 raised on 448,743 acres. The production in bushels 



Fig. 746. 



Hg. 745. Potatoes. To show actual yield in bushels by states. 



by provinces in 1901 was as follows : Ontario, 

 20,042,258; Quebec, 17,135,739; Prince Edward 

 Island, 4,986,633; New Brunswick, 4,649,059; 

 Nova Scotia, 4,394,413 ; Manitoba, 1,920,794 ; 

 The Territories, 1,277,793; British Columbia, 

 955,946. 



Culture. 



Soil. — The soil usually considered best is a deep, 

 mellow, free-working loam, although crops are 

 raised on lighter or heavier soils, provided the 

 latter are well drained. Pall-plowing is generally 

 advisable, since it facilitates the spring work. It 



should be as deep 

 as possible, to a 

 depth of twelve 

 inches if the soil 

 will permit. The 

 land is generally 

 left rough-plowed 

 during winter and 

 is fitted as early 

 a s possible i n 

 spring. The seed- 

 bed should be well 

 prepared by using 

 the disk or acme 

 harrows. 



Fertilizers. — An 

 application of ten 

 tons or more per 

 acre of barnyard 

 manure may be 

 made in the ■ fall 

 before plowing,or, 

 if the manure is 

 well rotted,it may 

 be applied in 



BUSHELS 

 ^m 150 -r63 



125-150 



100-125 



90-100 



80- 90 



70- 80 



58- 70 



Potatoes. To show the average yield per acre In bushels for the five-year period, 1900-1904. 



Compiled from Yearbook United States Department of Agriculture. 



