The Times. Published on Tuesday and Friday Afternoons. Motto: Public service. FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 1920. POTATO-FLOUR PRODUCTION

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 9, Issue 541, 18 June 1920, Page 2

The Times. Published on Tuesday and Friday Afternoons. Motto: Public service. FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 1920. POTATO-FLOUR PRODUCTION

The valuable information upon the subject of the production of potatoflour from surplus stocks, which the courtesy of the Department of Agriculture enabled us to p*ubiish last Tuesday, has no doubt been read with "interest by our many readers who engage in potato growing. It bears out very fully the opinion we expressed in our former leader upon the subject, that the manufacture of potatoflour could in all probability be introduced to this country with satisfactory, and probably with lucrative results.

We are unable to provide—nor is it our province to do so—information as to the exact cost of building and equipping a factor) suitable tr what be expected to ultimately become the available surplus of notatoes in this district. But among well-to-do settlers the raising of a few thousands for the purpose should not prove diflicult when the accruing advantages are considered, i It is well known that growing potatoes largely increases the fertility of the land instead of decreasing it, as wheat growing does. M'nny a potato crop which has given no direct profit has yet, by the cultivation and manuring the land has had, shown a large indirect profit more beneficial to the farmer than heavy immediate leturns from impoverishing crops. To the man who owns his land this is a most important consideration. We do not advocate any hasty committal to a scheme of manufacturing potato-flour, but we are strongly of opinion growers will not be consisting their own interests if they fail to discuss all aspects of the question and obtain all possible information thereon. We will gladly open our columnST 'to correspondence dealing with it, and will from time to ■ time publish any further elucidating \ information we are able to come by.