4 THE OREGON STATESMAN FARMING .4.VP INDUSTRIAL MAGAZINE SECTION.
The Slogan Pages' are Yours; Aid in Makingthem Helpful to vYour Wonderful City and Section
SALEM DISTRICT INDUSTRI
THE STATESMAN dedicates several pages each week in the interest of the fifty-two to a hundred
basic industries of the Salem District. Letters and articles from people with vision
are solicited. This is your section. Help make Salem grow.
SLOGAN ARTICLE PRIZES OFFERED TO
STUDENTS OF THE VALLEY COUNTIES
The Statesman will pay $5 a week, till further notice, to
the student of any school of a Willamette valley county,
public or private, college or university, who will submit the
best suitable article on the current Slogan subjects. The
articles are to be in the office by noon Wednesday preceding
the date of the Slogan subjects. The articles submitted to be
long to The Statesman. The editor is to judge as to the best,
in deciding who shall receive the $5, or whether any are
worthy of a prize. There will often be special prizes for
articles of merit not receiving first prize. The idea is to
furnish an opportunity to make members of the rising gen
eration acquainted with the many and great advantages of
the district in which they are likely to take active part in
the future. They are to be the leaders of our industries as
they grow into manhood and womanhood. First prize article
this week by Ray H. Lafky.
POTATO INDUSTRY
HERE IMPORTANT
Editor Statesman:
At the present time the raising
of potatoes ie one of the leading
crops in the agricultural industry.
Approximately three-quarters of a
century ago, potatoes began to be
recognized as an edible food of
high standing. Previous to this
time they had been used as hog
and cattle feed. The demand is
still growing and their use is
steadily becoming more universal.
In 1916, twelve years ago, enough
potatoes were raised to supply
each inhabitant of the earth with
four bushels of potatoes. Since
that time the ratio has approxi
mately doubled.
Salem is so situated as to be the
center of a rather large potato in
dustry. The growing of potatoes
extends as far east as Silverton,
as far west as Corvallis, as far
north ae Oregon City, and as far
south as Albany. These are the
limits of our immediate vicinity,
but there are a couple of other
such centers, although minor,
namely: (1) the Deschutes valley
and (2) the Klamath Lake region.
The acreage in the vicinity of Sa
lem is capable of producing a very
sizeable crop.
Three states, which all border
on Oregon, grow fine potatoes, but
the quality and the nature of the
potatoes in the Willamette valley
are such ae are required for seed
in these other states. As theae
other states are not capable of pro
ducing their own Beed potatoes,
they turn to and receive a good
part of their seed from the Wil
lamette valley. Hyde and com
pany, a local branch establishment
for a California concern, purchase
seed potatoes which are then
shipped to California. Not only
does the seed potato industry from
around Salem supply largely the
seeds for California, Washington,
and Idaho, but likewise some of
the irrigated sections of eastern
Oregon,
It would be a rery plausible
taiag to estshttsa a starch factory
in or near Salem, this being the
center of the Willamette valley
potato Industry. This would con
sume those cull potatoes which are
otherwise wasted.
The fact that people stick to
raising potatoes here in this sec
tion, while there are many other
things to take up raising, goes to
show that it is not an unprofitable
enterprise. Among the numerous
growers who go in for large scale
planting is the example of Mr.
Cunningham. For about the last
decade he has planted about SO
to 200 acres per year and has
made it a paying business.
As Salem is the center of the
seed potato industry it is not so
materially affected by bad market
prices and as there is no close com
petitor in thi line of the potato
industry she should retain her Im
portance. Ray IL Lafky,
201 Mission St. Salem, Or..
Feb. 16, 19 2 S.
E
Editor Statesman:
The most popular and widely
used vegetable in the world, as
every knows, is the potato. The
potato was not known in America
until after the middle of the 16 th
eentury, when they were first
1 SHOULD
MORE GOOD SPUDS
THIS WEEK'S SLOGAN
DID YOU KNOW that Salem is the marketing and ship
ping raster of a considerable potato industry; that wr
' can grow here at a big profit the seed stock for neigh
bormg states, especially for the California growers, who
want seed not grown on irrigated lands; Kj with
proper seed selection, planting, cultivation, rotation,
storage acih ties, grading, and packing, we can compete
with any market in the United States; that part of the
Mcrpla may ha some years be taken for dehydration here
and we will sorely soon get starch and potato flour and,
dextrine factories; that no farmer can make a mistake
in jgrvwing in this territory the right kind of potato? '
brought to Virginia from Peru.
They are not call "Irish" because
they originated there but because
their introduction to Ireland
saved the people from a terrible
famine.
A great many potatoes are
grown around Salem, but it is
possible and would be very profit
able to grow more. Producing
more potatoes would increase our
manufacturing, because starch
can be obtained from potatoes,
also alcohol, which is used as a
substitute for petrol in running
motors. The Germans make
flour out of potatoes, too. By
having more manufacturing the
community would grow not only
in population but in fame.
Potatoes do best in well drained,
sandy loam soil, and river bottom
soil is especially good. Many high
grade potatoes are raised along
the Santiam near Jefferson. Un
der favorable conditions 20 bushels
cut in half to an acre wiU yield
about 320 bushels.
New plants may be either grown
from seeds or from old potatoes
or pieces of the potato containing
an eye, but the result is very dif
ferent. An old potato used as a
seed will yield the same variety,
while those grown from seeds show
considerable variation from the
parent stock. They should be
planted from a foot to 16 inches
apart in the row and four Inches
deep. The potatoes should be har
rowed frequently until the plants
are above the ground and then
they should be cultivated at inter
vals. The harvesting may be done
by band or mechanical digger. A
digger drawn by horses will cover
from four to six acres a day. The
ordinary type of machine has a
shovel point which works into the
ground, lifts out the rows of po
tatoes, and deposits them on an
elevator. The later shakes ' out
the earth and leaves the potatoes
on the ground behind. Very of
ten new potatoes are dug by hand,
as their tender skins are easily
injured by the use of machinery.
Potatoes are subject to several
forms of potatoes rot or blight.
The most effective measures for
checking these are spraying the
young plants with Bordeaux mix
ture. The chief insect enemy is
the potato bug. Rotation of crops,
care in selecting seed prices,
avoidance of Infected soil and
soaking seed tubes in a solution
of corrosive sublimate are recom
mended as preventive measures.
Potatoes as a food are very
high in energy substances, as they
are made up mostly of carbohy
drates, the chief one being starch.
If we people of Salem and vicinity
do not grow more potatoes we are
not living up to the possibilities
that may be attained.
Olive Josephine Andersen.
865. Marion St., Salem, Ore.
Feb. 15, 1928.
MIGHT DAVE GREAT
SPUD CENTER HERE
Editor Statesman:
The potato is the most popular
and widely used vegetable in the
world, belonging to the tobacco
plant and the tomato plant. The
potato production ranks next to
that of cereal crops, in every civi
lized country of the temperate
xone; although it was not until
Columbus discovered America this
curious plant was taken to the old
world, where it has been used ever
since. The American Indian was
probably the first to use the po
tato. Why is the potato called tne
"Irish potato?"
It Is called the -Irish potato"
because its introduction saved the
Irish people many times from
famines, and not because It. is a
native of the island.
Potatoes do best on well drained
sandy loam, or even a very sandy
soil where it will be permitted to
spread its full size. It is best to
use half potatoes for seed, as they
show better result with marked
difference In the strength of the
vine. The tubers should be
planted from a foot to sixteen
inches apart in the row, and the
rows, far enough apart so they
will not be disturbed by the cul
tivator. They should be covered
over with a fine bed of loose soil
about four inches deep. Frequent
harrowing of the soil until the
plants are above the ground and
thorough cultivation afterwards Is
necessary. A potato crop should
not be planted in a fresh manured
field, as It will cause the potatoes
to hare a rust.
Potatoes should be planted at
such a date as to bring the crow
ing stage of the tuber at a time
when there la a sufficient amount
of moisture to supply them. So
each potato grower must time his
crop as to the least effect of the
drought.
Potatoes are subject to several
forms of potato rot or blight which
anaca the leaves, stems and
fibers. Spraying- the potatoes will
check this.
The people want a smooth, long
ana round potato with only about
7 per cent water. Whr toe rsait.
fornia buy Oregon potatoes? They
buy them because their potatoes
are irrigated and contain too mack
water.
The Salem district has the soil
and the climate and th best po
tatoes can be grown here. Why
not have Salem a great potato
growing center?
Raymond Claggett.
Rt. S, Box 267, Salem, Ore.
February llm.
THE POTATO GOOD
ROTATION CHOP
Editor Statesman:
It is almost impossible to thlnk
of potatoes without thin kin?
the famous Burbank potato. Tins
. i i i .
variety nae gamea iucu a repmu
tion because of its smoothness of
skin, its regularsie ,and shapt-.
that it is by far the outstanding
market potato of the northwest.
The Netted Gem is another po
tato which, although it ha not
much of a market at present. is?.
gaining rapidly in popularity be
cause of its quality and its very '
good yield.
The two favorite varieties of
early potatoes are the Early .Rose
and the Earliest of All. These are
being grown more each year, be
cause there is such a demand for
these potatoes for use as u vegeta
ble that there is a very good price.
We all know that the Willam
ette valley Is one of the most fer
tile valleys in the world; and that
it is, without doubt, the fruit cen
ter of the world. In spite of tin
fact, we also find its soil suitable
for the growth of vegetables. The
most popular of these vegetables i
the Irish potato.
There should be (and is being)
a staple market for this potato,
because there is a great demand
for it in Portland, various cities in
California, and also in many other
states. Nearly all the farmers
agree that it would be better to
get from a cent and a quarter to
two cents a pound than to get from
one-half of a cent to four cents a
pound. If the farmers could just
get such a price as one to two
cents a pound every year I'm sure
it would be better for the consum
er, because nobody likes to pay
such high prices for things and
would rather pay a certain regular
price.
Another good thing about the
potato crop is that it can be used
in the process of rotating the crop
from year to year, so as to keep
the soil in good condition.
It is needless for me to try to
tell you the many uses of potatoes,
but I will eay that since most peo
ple eat potatoes about two or three
times a day, and since more uses
are found each year, a good plan
would be to use our fertile Wil
lamette valley soil more and mors
for the growth of the most popular
vegetable in the world, the famous
Irish potato.
Lloyd Girod.
Fruitland, Feb. IS, 19 It.
Danish Farming Hit
COPENHAGEN. Feb. 18 (AP)
Declining prices for pork and ba
con have caused anxiety In Danish
farming circles. Theso products
are one of the main supports of
Danish agriculture. It Is Impos
sible, the farmers say, to fatten a
pig now without loss. Their lead
ers describe the situation as criti
cal. To clean stains of delicate col
ors (or white) rub with dry bread
crumbs or dip la a weak solution
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