Why Potatoes Are Cheap

Farmers wlll do well to study the rcnson why potatoes are so ehejip tbis year. The Icnv tariïf on forelgn peta toes of course brings their value öcvra to the price at which Canadlan or other cheap labor potatoes can l;e sol(i In our markets. AddeU to this is tbc. fact tHat a much larger área has l'cei' flanted to potatoes this year 1har usual. It is interesting t learn why this is so. The July report of the department of agricutture told us that :he favm aiea planted to potatoes this year was ''7.9 per cent, greater than last year" for the whole country. Tliere is a reason for this. In the tobáceo and hop growing states, owing to the reduction in duties on foreign piown tobáceo and hops, farmers hare reduced the área planted to these tiopfr and put more land into potatoes. The prices of home grown toUiccc and hops feil to a non-paying point, so farmers hoped to do better by growing potatoes. ín New York state this year's tobacee área was 35 per cent Iess than that of last year. ín Massachusetts It was 15 per cent. Iess. ín l'ennsylvania it was 27 per cent less. In Virginia it was 11 per cent. less. In North Carolina it was'5 per cent. lees. In 'West Virginia it was 12 per cent. less. In Ohio jt was 49 per cent less. In Illinois it was 31 r-er cent. less. In Wisconsin it was 48 per cent. less. These are heavy reductions in the areas of the tobáceo erop, which is grown in only 16 difïc.ient states to any extent. Jow for their potato area. In New York the tubers were planted on per cent. more acres than a year ago. In Massachusetts tlie increase v.'a.s 4 per cent. In Pennsylvania, 1 per cent.; in Virginia, 4 per jent.; in North Carolina, 3 per cent.; in West Viigtnla, 4 per cent.: in Ohio. 1 ner cent.; in Illinois, 7 per cent.; and ín Wisconsin 8 per cent, more land v us set to potatoes. These additiona! áreas, the resulb of the lower duty on tobáceo, as weli as the lower duty on potatoes have foreed the piice of the latter down to an unpiofitable basis. Farmers will readily understand that proper protection ter alJ ci-ops is necessary to their success. Free trade in one farm protluet injures otlier produets by ini K a.sing the área planted to otlier