LESSONS FOE AMERICAN POTATO GROWERS. 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 y ears 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 
