The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1907-01-18
THE TRUCK PATCH.
culled from the Daily Experience Of .
Trucker Who Works.

Cleaning up truck patches and haul
ing manure are in order and the worl
should be pushed whenever the wealth
er will permit. Besides improving the
looks of the premises, cleaning up and
burning rubbish will destroy host OF
predatory insects that are only wait
ing until warm weather to come out
and attack the growing crops. A pile
of rails, boards or stakes if left un
disturbed over winter will harbor
enough "punkin bugs almost to ruin
a patch of melons, cukes or squashes;
to say nothing of other pests.
| 1t requires quite as much Skill sue.
cessfully to market crop as it does
to grow 1t. Many men can grow a
crop all right, but they fall down when
1t comes to marketing it to the best
| advantage.
With an adequate home market the
grower has control of his products
from start to finish, and at the close
of each day he knows just what they
sold for. 1t is very different with the
man who must ship his products to a
distant market to be sold on commits
sion. His control ceases when the
goods are delivered to the transporta.
ton company; and he is at the mercy
| OF the commission man, and must wait
several days to know his fate.
The grower can control the grading
and packing, and this has much to do
with the price whether the goods are
sold in the home market or on con.
Segment. In all the cities and larger
towns there are people able and will.
ing to pay good prices for fruits and
vegetables if they can get what they
want. This class of people grows
larger every year. To reach them the
goods must be of superior quality and
they must present an attractive ap.
pearance.
Commission merchants say that
their best customers fall over each
other to buy the consignments of GER
tain growers, and will not look at any
thing else SO long as there is a chance
to get the favorite brand. Such goods
are usually sold in advance of arrival.
They are in demand because they are
carefully and honestly packed and
are guaranteed to be all right clear
through Any grower who will put up
his products neatly and honestly can
in a short time establish reputation
that will be worth money every year.
Frequently the market for sweet DO.
tatoes is at its best just before the
holidays. It's good plan to hit that
market. 1t may be the potatoes are
not keeping we'll. If so, get them out.
After the holiday trade the market
is nearly always dull and prices are
down for weeks. Meanwhile, potatoes
in the bin may be deteriorating every
day. In one district where large guam.
titles of potatoes are raised, black rot
was prevalent at digging time. Under
such conditions the sooner the pota-
toes are marketed after they are dried |
out, the better it will be for the |
grower.
Before packing, the potatoes should |
be brushed or wiped clean and sprouts |
and fbrous roots removed. While do |
ing this ii Is an easy matter to grade
them by putting the large, medium
size and small ones into separate
boxes. This will make three grades
and they should be packed in separate
barrels. Medium size potatoes always
the highest price, and bar
rels containing them can be marked
fancy The large ones can be desig
mated as mo. g" and the small ones
as common" But the different
grades can be distinguished by any
kind of mark provided that the com.
mission man knows what the marks
mean.
The barrels should be carefully
aced with potatoes of uniform size
Some growers place all the potatoes
n the barrel by hand. Others pour
hem in after facing, shaking the bar
eel occasionally to settle the potatoes
Whichever method is used, the barrels
should be so well filed and rounded up
hat considerable pressure is required
o get the head in place. Unless this
s done the barrels will not be full
When they reach their destination
The critical buyers, says Farm Jour
lal, pay the fancy prices, and they
will not look at a slack" or carelessly
|