Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1897-11-19
agricultural.
MARKETING FARM PRODUCE.

otCdtEbt VI SNN-
the producer may have bis stuff arrive
at the market in the best condition pos
sible.
The bulletin states that farm products
sell at greatly reduced prices in the mar
ket owing to damaged condition, which
with little care would have been avoid
ed 10 such cases, the only profit &C
crues to the transportation company
whose charges for carrying freight, OF
course, do not depend upon quality,
but quantity.
The writer Gays that during the past
season be witnessed striking exam pie
in Washington Of transporting agricui-
tural products under conditions which
would inevitably result in the destruc-
ton Of the entire shipment upon its ar
rival on its destination. A boat load OF
fruit on its way to this market, chiefly
bIackberries aud cherries, all Of which
had cost time and money to raise and
pick and pack, was 30 carclessly put up
in packages, buckets and barrels Of all
sorts, shapes and sizes, that the whole
was rapidly spelling. In some of the
pals and boxes the blackberries we're
already fermenting and the deck Of the
boat was running red with the juice Of
the crushed berries. The only profit
on this consignment was to the trans
portation company, whose charges are,
of course, Just as high when carelessly
hacked an on carefully packed fruit
The opinion is given that properly Sc
lected and packed very large portion
of the fruit in question would have
reached its destination in good order and
sold at profit for the shipper
BUTTER TUBS TOO BIG.
In regard to butter, the bulletin says
that there is probably no product which
brings the farmer better returns for his
labor and investment than this, when
properly made and marketed On the
other hand, there are few things so
easily ruined in the making. Of late
years the creameries have supplied a
large portion of the best butter. but
there is still good demand for high
quality dairy butter. The standard
packages are tubs which contain 20, 30,
40 and so pounds, respectively. The 60
pound tub is the size most used by
creameries, but the average farmer will
find smaller size more satisfactory, as
it will usually take considerable time
and a number Of churnings to fill the
largest tubs, all of which is detrimental
10 the product. Uniformity of the en-
tire tub is Of the utmost importance;
while the more uniform the entire pro-
duct, the better. Butter tubs are usu-
ally made Of ash or spruce. The spruce
tub is regarded with the greatest favor
in Boston and throughout the New
England States and in New Orleans
market Elsewhere is this country the
tub made of ash is preferred.
SHIP ONLY THE BEST.
1t is almost needless to say that a
fine high flavor is of the greatest i'm
portance in determining the price, al
though the finest flavor in the world
will not atone for streaked coloring
Cleanliness of the tubs is essential
Much butter is being exported now, and
so important is this point considered
that Immediately on purchase the ex-
portcrs bag all tubs in burlap to pre-
serve their clean, fresh appearance. 10
some instances the best prices can be
obtained by working up a trade with
some nearby ratailer, when it pays to
pack 10 the small bail boxes but il
your output is to go through the hands
of commission merchant, the regula-
ton tubs will be found satisfactory. In
this connection few words of caution
may be added: II for any reason your
butter is ''oif." don't ship it 1t don't
pay to ship any but the best, and butter
which is off in flavor is more than likely
to deteriorate rapidly, and eventually
sell as grease" With choice butter
firm at twelve cents, grease" was sell
ing recently at four cents, and no doubt
except Tor the amount Of care expended
the 'grease" cost as much to make at
the choice butter.
There is no variation in the packages
for eggs. They are invariably shipped
in the STANDARD case, which contains
thirty dozen ANY commission mer,
chant will furnish cases free when the
shipper will promise shipments Of any
considerable size. OF course, only
strictly fresh eggs should be shipped
and, more than that, no doubtful eggs
and no soiled eggs should ever be put
into case for market There is about
a strictly fresh egg certain "bloom "
for which buyers look This bloom dis
appears with time, or is rubbed off with
handling, therefore eggs should be
handled as little as possible
PREPARING POULTRY
Dressed poultry, except ducks and
geese, is best packed in barrels. The
birds should not have food for twenty
four hours before killing. Killing is
best done by running sharp knife
through the roof of the mouth, making
a sufficient wound to bring the blood
freely, Hang by the feet and allow all
the blood to escape. Do not remove the
head, feet, crop, or intestines. Pick
the legs dry, and holding by the legs
and head dip three times in water just
below the boiling point. Keep the head
out Of the hot water If the head is
dipped, it discolors the comb and shrinks
the eyes, giving buyers the impression
that the bird has been sick Remove
all the feathers. including pin feathers,
at once. taking care not to break the
skin, and then plump by dipping for
an instant into water almost boiling
and then into cold water. Hang up the
fowl and allow it to get perfectly cold
before packing.
Dry-picked poultry sells better if the
picking is properly done, but it is more
difficult to do we'll aud takes more time.
To dry pick properly the work should