_ POTATOES: ACREAGE, PRODUCTION, ETC. 9 
they were 8,384,000 bushels. The largest amount of imported pota- 
toes ever received, by this country in one year was in 1911, when the 
quantity reached 13,729,000 bushels, and that was a year of large 
deficiency. 
The annual averages presented by periods of years do not reach 
half a million bushels before the period 1875-1884, when the aver- 
age yearly imports were 2,158,000 bushels. In the next 10-year 
period the average was 3,018,000 bushels, followed by 1,401,000 
bushels in 1895-1904, and by 2,946,000 bushels in 1905-1914. 
In a year of large imports the bulk of them is consigned from the 
United Kingdom, but in other years, when the import movement is 
relatively small, the larger fractions of the imports are usually from 
Canada and iByoammerdle with Germany perhaps third in ORNE and 
Mexico and the Netherlands following. 
VALUE OF IMPORTS. 
The average annual value of the imported potatoes was $1,506,000 
in the period 1905-1914, and this average was not previously equaled 
in any 10-year period. Previous to 1875-1884 the average was much 
below $1,000,000. 
The values of imports are the values of the goods in foreign coun- 
tries and do not include the costs of transportation from the foreign 
point of shipment to this couutry, nor the import duty of this coun- 
try, if any. 
The computed average import value of imported potatoes per 
bushel reached as high a figure as 61 cents for 1865-1874, and de- 
clined to 44.7 cents per bushel for 1885-1894, after which there was 
an increase to 51.1 cents per bushel in 1905-1914. 
PERCENTAGE OF PRODUCTION. 
The imports of potatoes as a percentage of potato production 
in this country have never exceeded 1.65 per cent of the crop, as an 
annual average for any 10-year period, this average being for 1885- 
1894. The lowest period average, 0.22 per cent, is found for 1866- 
1874. For the 10 years, 1905-1914, the imports were 0.86 per cent 
of the production. The percentages for value do not differ mate- 
rially from those for quantity of potato imports. 
PERCENTAGE OF THE SUPPLY. 
Potato production and supply being so nearly the same, the im- 
ports of potatoes are related to the supply quite the same as they 
are to the production. The imports of the 10-year period 1905-1914 
were 0.85 per cent of the supply. The largest ratio for any period, 
1.62 per cent, is for 1885-1894, and the smallest ratio, 0.22 per cent, 
is for 1866-1874. The corresponding percentages for value are not 
materially different. 
55715°—18—Bull. 6952 
