“Little Prince Edward Island will, this year (1882), produce at least three million bushels of potatoes, most of which are yet in the bosom of mother earth. Not less than 2,000,000 bushels will be fine, merchantable potatoes, which must find a market off the Island.” - Daily Examiner,” 7, October 1882.
Not since 1876, when the largest and best crop of potatoes the Island ever produced was harvested, has such a potato yield as that of this season been vouchsafed to our farmers. The yield will be largely in excess of that of 1876, and as many superior kinds of potatoes have been introduced of late years, the crop will be much more suitable for the American market than any we have heretofore produced.
The old-fashioned Blues, Turnbulls, etc composed the principal part of the potato crops for years, and it is only at exceptional times that our potatoes were in demand in the United States. It was also found that our potatoes would not sell in England at any price. Farmers, therefore, largely planted varieties always in demand in the American market; and while the old and hardy, and really excellent varieties, have been grown in great extent, the Early Rose, Prolifies, Surprise, etc form a large bulk of the present crop. We are glad to record this fact, as these last-named kinds will find a market abroad, even if the old ones do not.
All the features of our present (1882) potato crop are highly favorable. The quantity is larger than ever, the quality cannot be excelled, and the size of the tubers is all that could be desired. It is a real luxury to sit down to a dish of our fine, handsome, floury potatoes, which all throw off their jackets as if anticipating the delight of being boiled. Knives for peeling potatoes this year are almost superfluous.
We trust no mistakes will be made in the matter of disposing of our large surplus crop of potatoes. Just now buyers are paying 25¢ per bushel for shipment. This price, taking into consideration the present prices of potatoes in the principal American markets, and the potato crop in the US generally, is a very fair one and we believe the price will be maintained during the present shipping season. In Boston, prices range from 75¢ to 85¢ a bushel, and at these prices, large lots of the Western States are reaching that market. The Western growers have an immense crop of potatoes this season whose average crop is 25,000,000 bushels. Our potatoes, it will be seen, must compete with this.
Taking all things into consideration, we are of the opinion our farmers will not, this season, realize more than 25¢ per bushel for their potatoes. At that price, the 2,000,000 bushels will realize to the Island half a million dollars. If our farmers hold back for higher prices, the Western US will supply the market, and our potatoes will lie in the cellar. However, the laws of supply and demand will regulate the whole matter, but farmers should study up the situation.
And while on the subject of potatoes, it would be interesting to find out what is the average cost of raising a bushel of potatoes? In 1880, we were much interested in a grower in Maine who raised a large crop of potatoes by contract. He furnished the ground and the manure, but all the labour of plowing, planting, cultivating, digging was done under contract. The potatoes in the cellar cost him a little short of 9¢ per bushel. Do any of our Island farmers know what it costs to produce a crop of potatoes?
Last season an Island farmer demonstrated, to his own satisfaction at least, potatoes could not be grown profitably at 14¢ per bushel, that being the contract price for potatoes delivered at our starch factories. Fourteen cents is a small price, but many farmers, knowing the product of certain acres is sure of a market, by a little extra exertion, at a small outlay, can dovetail the work on these acres, with his other farm labours, and not materially feel it. Many of our farmers are in a position to ascertain the exact cost of growing potatoes, and we hope next year (1883) to record some of the experiments and details.
October 14, 2020 at 02:30PM
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The potato crop of Prince Edward Island in 1882 ... A luxury dish of fine eating - peicanada.com
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