1921.] 



Cost of Harvesting Potatoes. 



431 



COST OF HARVESTING POTATOES. 



Official Statistics for 1920 show that the acreage of potatoes 

 in England and Wales was 544,615 with an estimated yield of 

 8,151,000 tons. Considering the importance of this crop it is 

 a surprising fact that no figures have previously been published 

 dealing with the cost of harvesting potatoes. This report gives 

 an account of an attempt which has been made to obtain informa- 

 tion on this subject. 



Methods of Lifting. — Lifting is generally done by using 

 the fork, the plough, or the potato digger. During the past year 

 a few American potato lifters have been used. 



Lifting by the Fork is undoubtedly the oldest method. In this 

 way the work is well done, and practically all the potatoes are 

 removed from the soil without bruising. The work is both slow 

 and laborious, however, and hence where large acreages had to 

 be lifted, the Plough soon displaced the fork and generally gave 

 satisfaction. The wastage with the plough is undoubtedly more 

 than when the fork is used, but it is generally believed that the 

 crop is harvested with a considerable saving of labour and 

 expense. This practice is still followed for lifting potatoes grown 

 in the heavier classes of soil, and even for first early varieties 

 grown in light soils. 



In more modern times engineers turned their attention to 

 machinery for agricultural purposes, and produced a mechanical 

 Potato Digger which lifts the crop much quicker than had hitherto 

 been possible with either the fork or the plough. In the early 

 days, when the digger was in its experimental stage, it bruised 

 the tubers considerably, and even with the present-day machines 

 a certain amount of damage is done. Some bruising seems 

 inevitable, as considerable force has to be exerted in throwing 

 both tubers and earth well up into the air. Further wastage from 

 loss of tubers occurs since the earth on falling to the ground 

 covers many of the tubers, and it is probable that a considerable 

 number remain buried in the soil and are not turned up by the 

 harrows. In spite of these drawbacks, the digger has gained 

 favour, and is now largely used in the extensive potato areas. 



Scope of Enquiry. — The Ministry was anxious to obtain, if 

 possible, figures showing the comparative and approximate costs 

 of harvesting potato crops by the three methods, and accordingly 



