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Potato Industry

The growing of potatoes is one of the main industries in Eastern Kings. It had its beginning when the early settlers planted a few sets in a hill. Some years later, the sets were ploughed in with three sods between every row of sets. The potatoes from these would be dug with the plow in the fall and placed in horse carts. These carts would be backed up to a hatch left in the house foundation, unhooked in the front, and tipped so that the potatoes would run Off and into the cellar.

Some years later, potato planters and diggers were manu— factured. The land would first be marked in rows for planting by a horse—drawn homemade outfit which was called a marker. The sets were planted in these rows and covered by a horsehoe. The price of these horse-hoes in 1922 was $12.50.

Diggers were coming into use, and in a fertile field they would place the potatoes pretty well out on the top. These

would be picked by hand into baskets and emptied into bags which were then loaded in wagons and hauled to the cellars.

The introduction of the planter meant that the back-breaking job of planting by hand was done away with. The planter made its own mark, planted the sets, and spread the fertilizer. Until now the fertilizer was spread by hand. This machine was improved from

time to time until now there are planters that do four rows at a time.

Horses were first used in the smaller planters but for many years tractors have taken their places. The potato digger is replaced by large harvesters and most of the potatoes are stored in warehouses some owned by the individual farmer and others a community storage.

The last years, Elite seed is used for planting, and farmers growing this cut their seed in the field and plant it as it is cut. This is a program introduced to improve the quality of the potatoes and to more effectively control diseases, especially ring rot.

The stored potatoes are later graded, packed, and shipped

by truck, boat, and railway. They all have to be inspected. Some potatoes are sold as seed and some as table-stock.

Inspectors from this area include

For Seed For Table—Stock R. Stuart MacGregor George E. MacDonald Stewart MacAulay Thomas Harris The late James MacPhee James Fay 1972

Bernard Campbell Ian MacGregor 1972