The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1913-10-23
Letter Received by the County Secre
tary Of the Farmers Society Of
Equity.

general outline Of the market condi
ton as they are today and what, in
my estimation, is the cause. Believ'
ing that 1t will be of interest to you
and perhaps TO some of the growers
You are aware that every Season, and
especially SO when the market starts
off as 1t did this year with high prices
| and good demand al over the country
for spuds, that the average grower
seems to forget that in order to main
tain that demand, it is necessary to
put on the market only first class
stock. All they seem to think Of is
how fast they can get the crop out
and start it on its way to market. If
they could be at this end of the line
for a little while and see the condition
in which stock arrives, believe it
would turn their thoughts into
another direction and they would en-
deavor to see how good they could
sort, sack and load their cars instead
of how quickly. There Is no question
in my mind that, had the growers
adopted this latter policy and put on
the market only carefully selected,
well, matured stock, properly graded
and loaded in a manner that would
have attracted attention of the dealers
the minute the cars doors were
thrown open that we would not have
seen such conditions as exist today in
the markets all over the country and
especially is this true in the large dis.
tributing centers. And what is the re-
suit. Low prices. and considerable
loss to growers which undoubtedly
could have been avoided, also delays
in getting returns back promptly,
not taking into consideration the enor
nous expense that the labor of resort
ing, resacking and grading at this
end of the line eventually costs the
grower as he has to stand for this ex-
ense and have 1t deducted from his
returns.
One of the biggest mistakes the
growers ara making today is accept
ing and loading box cars. In eli
mate, such as you have out here,
where it is cool, you don't realize what
it means to have box cars loaded
with green spuds come across the
and drop down into a low.
er altitude where the thermometer Is |
ranging as it has been for the past |
.wo weeks in this section around 80 |
o 80 degrees 1t simply cooks them
md with absolutely no ventilation, it
$ no wonder that stock which has
lot been thoroughly matured at time
If loading, decays and spoils a mum.
Ter of other spuds which lay near
hem. If you must use box cars in or
Ter to move your crop do so under
protest. Order all cars from the rail
DAD company in writing, keeping a
opy of the order. If they bring in
'oX cars instead of freezers and you
must accept them, place on your bill
Il lading notation to the effect that
ou ordered freezers and that the
abroad company could not or would
lot furnish them. II they object to |
his notation, simply make 1t anyway !
nd turn 1t over to them to sign and
hey will accept your car. Then If it |
hows decay on arrival at destination |
We have recourse to a claim because |
4 the car having no means Of VENT |
alton in transit. If the grower, first !
# ALL will send only first class stock |
o the market, and then become ia
niliar with the little things which |
,ause small losses on almost every car
Witch Is shipped Il will go a long
Ways toward showing a proGt at the
End of the season, which otherwise
would be loss. II he would be0me
/ successful Skipper, he must be-
one familiar with the railroad tar
ifs and the minimum weights to the
destinations where he desires to mar.
iet his products. In loading, care
should be taken at this season of the
'ear in handling spuds. They are
lot nearly so solid and firm as they
ne later on, and by rough handling
n walking over the sacks they are
,ound to be bruised more OF less, and
" the time they arrive at the des-
ination they have become decayed
md must be taken out of the sack
'efore they will be accepted by the
lealers.
Methods of loading should be stud
ed and adopted that will give the
took the best ventilation possible
md at the same time equalize the
weight so that the bottom tiers OF
acks will not become bruised by the