WAUPACA POST

May 17, 1894

 

WHAT POTATOES WILL DO FOR A POOR MAN.

 

[Plainfield Sun]

 

            In March, 1891, J.H. Snyder bought of Ira P. Coon seventy-six acres of land, situated about one-half miles south of this village, for $2000, taking a bond for a deed.  Mr. Snyder has made a specialty of raising potatoes, and has made it a point to plant good seed, give them the best of car, cultivating them often and keeping them free from grass and weeds.  During the past three years he has purchased over one thousand dollars worth of farm machinery, besides making some improvements on his farm.  One year he raised as high as 225 bushels to the acre, and last year only about 150 bushels.  He has also kept a portion of his land seeded, so that each year he had clover sod to turn over, thereby keeping the soil well fertilized.  Last Saturday Mr. Snyder finished drawing his last year’s crop and on that day paid Mr. Coon the two thousand dollars indebtedness and received a warranty deed of the place, besides having about seven hundred dollars left to carry him through until this year’s crop is harvested.  Mr. Snyder can be congratulated on being possessor of a fine little farm besides being a successful young farmer.  This is only one instance among many of our farmers who have done the same thing, but we cite this one, as the facts are familiar to us, and demonstrate that potato raising on the “Indian land” is a money making industry, and one in which any farmer with good management and a reasonable amount of labor can succeed.  The difficulty with many of our farmers is they try to farm too many acres on too small capital.  Let them pattern after Mr. Snyder and they will have more and better potatoes and get a better price for them.  Many of our capitalists are becoming more convinced every year that there is money in potato raising and are investing their money in land that only a few years ago could not be sold for one-half the price they are paying for it today.  These are facts which cannot be refuted.