NtOHRAMKA WH4. BVPPLT
NATION WITH POTATVKS
(Continued from page 1 tola section)
stances have a small amount for
district, where the great bulk of Ne
braska potatoea are produced, that
district ia divided into the dry-land
farming area where the production la
Kreanrt. and Into the Irrigated area,
where potato production ia faat be
coming a rival to the augar beet In
dustry which haa heretofore received
the treat attention.
We find that eastern Nebraska
thru local garden projects and Indi
vidual efforts, stimulated by high
prices, will with a normal crop prob
ably feed itself this year. In the
central Band hills region, production
will likely be stimulated to a alight
extent, but It Is unlikely that little
change will be made in the available
food aupply as that district is essen
tially a gTstlng and stork country. In
the western part of the state, which
ia the heaviest producer of this
crop, indications point to a heavy in
crease in production and we und
that the people are fully cognizant,
noi only of their opportunities, but
also of their patriotic duty In the
matter of food production. In the
dry farming area the crop will be
greatly increaaed if the year la nor
mal, both from an Increased acreage
which we eatimate at 60 per aant
above the published statistics of last
yefcr, which appear to be too law,
and by better and more intensive
cultivation, a leason that has been
impressed upon the farmers there by
the experiences of past years.
Iu the irrigated district the In
crease will be phenomenal, because
there is more land available than
heretofore and because the alfalfa
ttelds are being converted Into pota
to land because of the anticipated
prices. Potatoes will rival sugar
beets this year. Added to this, there
is the Impulse given to production
by the realization that it is the pat
riotic duty of the potato region "to
do its bit" in feeding the nation and
contributing to the welfare of the
less fortunate people whose salvation
from hunger is assured If there is an
abundant supply of the lowly but
necessary spud.
All the available seed will bo
planted and as that supply la now
exhausted, there is nothing that we
run find to Increase production ox
i "-pt better and more intensive culti-
ii iion. We believe the anticipated
fair prices will provide encourage
ment to that end and we strongly de
precate the Idea of fixing a maximum
price for food stuffs as tending to
discourage intensive cultivation,
which Is the only avenue left to us
to Increase the production of this
commodity. We find that the farm
era, as a rule, are fully aware of the
latest and beat Ideas on farming po
tatoes and that they are constantly
utilizing the excellent Information
disseminaed. lb western Nebraska
especially, by t he farm demonatra
tors, and we therefore fvei that any
exhaustive directions as to preparing
the ground, seeding and planting are
superfluous.
For the eastern part of the state
where potatoea are not a major crop,
we recommend to farmers and gard
eners the state and national publica
tion with special emphasis upon a
study of the insect enemies of pota
toes and methods of destroying
them. We find that western Nebr
aska is not afflicted with insect en
emies of this kind but that the es
pecial study for the producer there
Is the diseases that attack and de
stroy the finished product in storage,
such as dry rot and black leg.
We appreciate that one of the im
portant considerations In food con
servation Is the storage of the same.
and while the larger potato districts
huve great storage facilities now.
yet with the increased crop, it will
d mand more. We therefore recom
mend that steps be taken to provide
for additional storuge facilities. A
special cure should be taken by the
government and men should be dele
gated to Inspect and disinfect potato
cellars at d warehouses to the end
that waste from that source be elim
inated. The work of caring for the
harvested crop is of super Import
ance and we deem it essential that
the University of Nebraska enlist
their force In the work of conserv
ing the crop after maturity. The
farm demonstrators who in u meas
ure represent the government, and
the organizations of western Nebras
ka are the bodies now ready and
equipped tor service through which
ducer and la as Important for Ha
food value aa any other crop. Thr
experience of other atatea ia the beat
guide. We find that Nebraska pos
sesses land which ia particularly
adapted to the growing of beans We
believe that this crop should be en
couraged in this atate. From de
tailed information at hand, we find
that the bean acreage in Nebraska
In lf'17 will be from C500 to 5000
per cent greater than In any former
year. Judging from the experience
of Colorado and South Dakota where
bean production has received atten
tion, there remaina not a question of
doubt as to the advisability of raising
this crop In our own state. It is
authentically reported that all th
available beans for seed purposes
have been exhausted and were this
not the case there would be even a
larger acreage increase.
We recommend that the proper
bodies take immediate steps to pro
cure additional seed for planting pur
poses. We And that cultivation should be
confined to the heat of the day when
the plants are dry and that special
care should be taken to avoid break-'
ing the plant in any way as It is
thru such wounds that disease en
ters and destroys the plant. We re
commend that the bulletin of the
University Extension Department ' at
Lincoln be obtained by all raisers of
beans. Ueuns are especially adapted
to u semi-sandy soil and do excep
tionally well upon virgin land. There
is special machinery obtainable for
harvesting the crops. That machin
ery Is not expensive and we recom
mend It to all who have any quantity
of beana planted.
Beans can be made a very profita
ble crop in tbia atate and at this
time when the price of this food is so
high, It Is an especially desirable
crop. Desna are of the ataple food
products, and a heavy increaae In the
crop Is necessary at thia time.
Talks by Other Members
Following the reading of the re
port by Mr. Bushnell the chairman
introduced the following, who spoke
briefly on interesting points and who
made clearer some of the subjects
mentioned in the report: Hon. John
H. Morehead of Falls City, former
governor of Nebraska; John L. Mc-
Cague of Omaha, real estate dealer
and capitalist, active in public af
fairs; K. I,. Pierce of Henaingford,
banker, farmer and western Nebras
ka booster.
The report included a complete set
of statistics covering all of the ninety-three
counties of the state, taking
up all phases of the potato and bean
situation. The complete report of
the committee is being published in
pamphlet form for general distribu
tion and copies can be secured free
of charge from the Alliance Herald
offlcF or from any of the followinK
members of the committee:
Chairman Lloyd C. Thomas, Al
liance. Secretary H. M. Bushnell. Jr.,
Alliance.
D. F. Schwab. Ijebanon- Counties
of Perkins, Chase, Dundy, Hayes,
Hitchcock. Frontier, Red Willow.
Furnas, oOsper, Phelpa and Harlan.
H. A. Swanaon, Clay Center
Counties of Kearney, Franklin, Ad
ams, Webster, Clay and Nuckolls
D. S. Dalbey, Beatrice Counties
of Thayer, Jefferson, Fillmore, Sal
ine, Gage, Seward, York. Hamilton,
Butler, Polk and Saunders.
John H. Morehead. Falls City
Counties of Pawnee, Richardson.
Johnson, Nemaha, Otoe, Cass and
Lancaster.
John L. McCague, Omaha Coun
ties of Washington, Douglas and Sar-
py
Grant Mears, Wayne Counties of
Burt. Thurston. Dakota. Dixon. Cum
ing, Dodge. Wayne. Colfax, Stanton.
Cedar, Platte, Madison. Pierce.
Knox. Antelope. Boone. Nance and
Merrick.
Horace M. Davis. Ord Counties
of Hall. Sherman. Howard. Greeley.
Valley and Custer.
D. H. Cronin. O'Neill Counties of
Holt. Garfield. Wheeler, Blaine.
Loup. Brown. Rock and Keya Paha.
John K. Jacobsen. Iexington
Counties of Buffalo, Dawson, Lin
coln and Keith.
C. H. Cornell. Valentine County
of Cherry.
Charles K Bassett.- Hyannis
Counties of Grant. Hooker, Thomas,
Arthur, Mcpherson. Logan and Gar
den. J. A. Bentley, Sidney Counties of
Banner. Kimball, Cheyenne and Deu
el. I
H. T. Bowen, Scottsbkiff Coun
ties of Scotts Bluff and Morrill.
Keith L. Pierce. Hemingford
County of Box Butte.
Herman Peters, Hay Springs
County of Sheridan.
Arah L. Hungerford. Crawford
Countlea of Dawea and Sioux
W. A. Hack, extra' agent, was
transferred from Minnekahta to Bel
mont to relieve Mr. Gregory. Tuesday.
Mrs. C. K Callender and two
daughters, of Ravenna, are Alliance
visitors. Mr. Callender is now work
ing out of Alliance.
F. L. Buechsenstein and G. V. An
dreas, clerks at the yard office, Alli
ance, made a trip to Denver the first
part of the week.
WM. MORAVEK
owns the follow
ing brand: On
cattle, "heart"
on lower middle
of right aide, al
so "heart" on
lower right
thigh. On horses "heart" on hind
right shoulder.
Postoffice Canton, Nebr.
The Wyoming homesteaders who
have been established on the dry
homesteads for a sufficient length of
lime and who are largely sons of
western Nebraska farmers, having
learned potato culture In Nebraska,
will produce a crop in 1917 that will
assist materially and In succeeding
years of the war, even more will be
accomplished, lu the irrigated dis
trict around Torrington, Wyo., just
west of the Btate line, there will be a
marked increase in production as
there has been more land broken and
fifty cars of potatoes were shipped in
to that district for seed purposes. We
recommend that the state Council of
Defense und those In charge of food
Hupplies extend to the growers of
eastern Wyoming all the advantages
and facilities for conserving this
year's crop that have been evolved
for western Nebraska,
We find that the government serv
ice In the potato belt, whereby the
shippers and growers were informed
of production, shipments, prices,
weather conditions, etc., were of in
estimable benefit to the shippers and
growers of potatoes. We earnestly
recommend from a first-hand knowl
edge of the situation that the gov
eminent ugain render this service in
1917, maintaining headquarters at
Alliance, as heretofore, since from
thia point the dry and irrigated laud
producers of potatoes can be served
with dispatch and the reporter In
charge can readily verify his reports
by personul visits to the fields.
We find that the lubor question for
spring und summer work Is practic
ally solved now by the community
und commercial clubs of that section
but we anticipate that in the event
of a normal crop, a serious shortage
of harvest hands will exist. Wc feel
that the Increased acreage is a result
ant of the demand us voiced by Pres
ident Wilson. We believe that we
cannot impress too strongly upon
this congress the necessity of provid
ing the producer with the necessary
labor to suve their crop before freez
ing period. The crop for the most
part will not he planted until the
last days in May or early in June,
the latest planting being not latir
than June IS, The crop will not
begin to ripen until after the first
killing frost to any great extent, and
in the high altitude of western Ne
braska, the period between the first
killing frost and the first severe
freeae Is not so great as in eastern
Nebraska
The harvest cannot be started pre
maturely or the potatoes will not
keep. At this point we desire to
suggest that if the principle of true
economy and elimination of waste is
to be followed, that the consumer
should not demand new potatoes und
the producer should not harvest a
green crop but on the contrary In
order to obtain the full value, the
crop must be permitted to complete
ly mature before being harvested.
The date of the average killing frost
is about September 20. The danger
date of a freeze is about October 4.
The average date of a freeze severe
enough to harm crops in the ground
is about October 17. This shows
the absolute necessity of labor be
tween September 25 and October 10,
und we recommend to the national
and state labor bureaus and the
State Council of Defense that they
co-operate with the Associated Com
mercial Cluba of the Pan-handle re
gion of Nebraska to the end that lu
bor be provided at this critical time.
Western Nebraska potato produc
ers are going ahead with an increas
ed acreage and with the high re
solve to do more intensive farming
depending on the outside sources for
the labor needed and with a faith'
that it will be forthcoming. Noth
ing will discourage potato production
more in the succeeding years of the
war than that this paramount re
quirement be not met. If necessary,
the Boldiers In camp should be util
ized in harvesting potatoes for that
Will be one of the great crops so
much needed to feed the army.
this worli can best be consummated
If the war Is to continue another
year and if the needs of the people
for food is to increase in future years
.is lias so often been emphasized
from this platform by the speakers
and officials, theu the greatest oppor
tunities in potato culture increase
Ilea in the bringing into actual pro
duction, with due regard to crop ro
tation, of the five million acres of
tillable land now In use only for
grazing purposes in western Nebras
ka. There is in the aggregate sev
eral thousand acres in amull patches
which were farmed when the land
was hotnt steaded twenty-five to thir
t years ngo and when the period of
low prices and overproduction came
in the early 90's, these lands were
sold at a cheap price to ranchmen
and are now parts of large tracts.
These IroOtS could be plowed this
summer and would be the best of po
tato gromic! next year and could be
made to produce a crop of millet or
cam yet this year. These lands ure
all rich, dark soil, capable of grow
ing wiuut and other crops. Near
the towns the farm land is being
cultivated very extensively but a lit
tle way back there are hundreds of
these tracts, enough to produce all
the spuds Nebraska can consume. We
do not desire to appear critical, but
we believe thul it is false economy to
plow up verdant lawns and expend
money to destroy that which the or
iginal cost of was so titanic to plant
potatoes or like crops when one-half
the actuul money expended thereon
would place under cultivation these
thousands of unutilized acres in the
undeveloped country.
The great loss resulting from
waste, due to improper transporta
tion facilities on perishable pro
ducts, such as potatoes, must be ab-
....1 . .. ............ .,
ruilroads in furnishing the potato
shipping districts with ample curs
when the crop can be moved without
danger in transit from freezing. If
freight accommodations are inade
quate at these vital marketing times
it will mean a heavy loss uud the
work of Intense cultivation and
proper husbanding will be goue. It
potatoes have to be shipped from a
district after the freezing period has
set in. it will mean the use of re
frigerator cars aud that spells higher
prit'S to the consumer. The rail
roads have ottered to co-operate by
furnishing cars and moving them
faster to the points of destination.
Shippers should load cars with tho
utmost dispatch and receivers should
unload them with equal dispatch.
Transportation Is a vital thing and
should engage the attention of the
highest talent In the railroad freigui
department. Everyone should co
operate to see that a single freight
car makes the lurgest number of
trips possible.
If properly graded, Nebraska po
tatoes are of as high a class as any
produced in the world. The propei
grading of potatoes means economy
and fair prices to Nebraska produc
ers. We, therefore, recommend to
the farmers of the potato districts
that they form associations and adopt
rules for the strict grading of pota
toes. We believe that the farmer will do
his part. We believe that labor win
lend its beat efforts. We believe
that the great transportation com
panies will do their share and we
hope that not only the potato crop
but that all other commodities will
be spared the curse of advance I
prices by the diabolical food specu
lators and we urge that drastic ac
tions be resorted to in order to pre
vent excess profits by speculators in
food products during the period of
the war.
Beaus
The commercial raising of baani
In the state of Nebraska has been
practically naught in past years and
It Is therefore difficult for your mi
mlttee to make an extensive repoi
upon beans. Undoubtedly this crop
oilers as many advautages to the pro-
AUCTION SALE
2500 Stock Cattle
Will be sold at the Stock Yards
Fremont, Nebr.
12:30 o'clock sharp
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6
Herefords - 2500 - Head Herefords
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Extra good Panhandle Steers and heifers one and two-year-olds.
Also a few extra good registered Hereford bulls. Now
this is a choice bunch of stuff, and will suit anyone who is in
the market for cattle. They will be sold in lot to suit purchasers
Freight paid to any C. & N. W., point to
Pierre, S. D., Winner, S. D., or Chadron,
Nebraska.
TERMS: Cash or Bankable Paper
MAURICE DEGEN, Owner
Ed J. Askwig and Tim Preece, Auctioneers