Maine's Potatoes

Many railroads depend for their prosperity on the crops grown in their particular area. Thus there are "wheat" railroads, "cotton" railroads, "corn" railroads. But the Bangor & Aroostook Railroad is unique in depending for its destinies on the potato.

This road serves the famed Maine county of Aroostook, leading potato-producing area in the U. S. Aroostook soil is particularly suited to growing potatoes; on a five-year average, farms there produce 260 bushels of potatoes per acre, to 115 bushels on an average acre throughout the U. S.

Last year, 108,000 acres in Aroostook were planted to potatoes, compared with 100,000 this year. Production per acre will not, experts declare, quite equal that of 1924. The very large 1924 potato crop served to reduce prices sharply, and the vegetable sold as low as 75-c- to $1.00 a barrel. At present, under prospects of a smaller supply, the price has jumped to $2.25, with predictions of $2.50 to $3.00 later in the season.

In a glut of cheap potatoes, one recourse is always open to growers to prevent spoilage--to sell to the starch factories. Certain starch factories open only when potato prices are low, and on rising prices promptly close. Last year 6,500 carloads of potatoes went into starch, but high-potato prices this year will presumably leave starch-makers none at all. But the Bangor & Aroostook Railroad is not worrying. Potato farmers in Maine are profiting under present high prices, even though output is lower. When they start spending the proceeds, the Aroostook expects very good inbound freight.