The Monte Vista journal., 1907-01-26
THE TRUCK PATCH.
cuiled from the Daily Experiences u .
Trucker Who Works.

Cleaning up truck patches and haul
ing manure are In order. and the work
should be pushed whenever the wealth
Or will permit Besides improving the
looks of the premises. cleaning up and
burning rubbish will destroy host Of
predatory insects that are only walt.
Ing until warm weather to come out
and attack the growing crops. A pile
of rails, boards or stakes II left un-
disturbed over winter will harbor
enough "punkin bugs" almost TO ruin
patch of melons. cukes or squashes;
to say nothing of other pests.
1t requires quite as much skill sue.
cessfully TO market a crop as It does
to grow It. Many men can grow a
crop all right. but they fall down when
1t comes TO marketing 1t to the best
advantage.
With an adequate home market tho
grower has control Of his products
from start to finish, and at the close
OF each day he knows just what they
sold for. II is very different with the
man who must ship his products to .
distant market to be sold on commits.
sion. His control ceases when tho
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.
signment. In all the cities and large.
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 tho
goods must be of superior quality and
they must present an attractive mp.
pearance.
Commission merchants say that
their best customers fall over each
other to buy the conslgnments OF Ger.
tain growers, and will not look at any.
thing else so long as there is chance
to get the fayorite brand. Such goods
are usually sold In advance OF arrival.
They are In demand because they arc
are guaranteed TO be all right clear
through Any grower who will pu. up
his products neatly and honestly can
In q short time establish a reputation
that will be worth money every year.
Before packing. the potatoes should
be brushed or wiped clean and sprouts
and fibrous roots removed. While do.
In lie fa 20 40
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
command the highest price. and bar.
rels containing them can be marked
fancy" The large ones can be desig,
mated as NO. 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
faced with potatoes OF uniform size
Some growers place all the potatoes
In the barrel by hand. Others pour
them in after facing. shaking the bar
rel occasionally to settle the potatoes.
Whichever method Is used. the barrels
should be NO well filled and rounded up
that considerable pressure is required
o get the head In place. Unless this
Is done the barrels will not he full
when they reach their destination.
The critical buyers. says Farm Jour
nal. pay the fancy prices. and they
viii not look At slack" or cxreless!y
packed barrel.