Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-01-06
Grade Your Potatoes.


(Dr. G. NJ. Twitchell in Maine Farmer)
Somehow it is not easy for one to
climb out OF the rut which habit has
dug, and take an observation. II per-
son should do this, he would fiud that
the wheels of progress are very often
running at right angles with our old
time methods. The world moves, prac-
tees change, new order is constantly
being introduced, better understand
ing is all the time being unfolded for the
worker in every department. Are these
workers alive to what all this signifies?
1t means you, it hits me. il should
serve US both. In no department has
there been more radical changes than in
farm methods, yet too many keep right
on in old-time ways, not realizing that
they are butting their heads against a
wall. A few days ago | looked over a
car of potatoes shipped by one OF the
farmers Of Maine to big centre. was
Invited by the buyer to do this. 10 that
car were three varieties, all mixed togeth-
er; some exceedingly large aud prongy
specimens, and some, many, under
5 zed. Men were al work grading the
car preparatory to selling, and they were
making four grades-the overgrown,
those from about ten ounces 10 one
pound, those from about five to ten
ounces, and the small ones.
II suppose, - said the buyer, III shall
be called fraud by the man who sent
this car, when be gets his returns, for
must charge back the expense OF sorting
and getting u 10 shape TO sell. Why
couldn't he have done that himself and
saved ali that loss 10 him2"
Here Is the question want the grow
ers 10 answer. Formerly but little at
tentiOn was paid to grading, aud libeF-
al amount OF dirt would pass uonO,iced.
but the margins are oaTrosing, the mum
Der Of hands through which the product
must pass constantly increasing, and
consumers are getting TO be somewhat
exacting. The OyeTgrown potatoes sell
a. a lower price, the larger OF the second
class, also get pinched, and the market
calls l0udest Tor the medium grade. IL
10 useless 10 fight, Idle TO complain, fool
ish To debate, u 10 with the fact that We
have TO deal, for the simple reason that
the consumer holds the purse We want
opened. Not our conception OF what
should 20, but bis standard Of what be
wants, must determine. You and /,
brothers, must please the man who eats,
no matter whether We think him wise or
otherwise, and II he wants graded pota-
toes we have simply got 10 supply them.
At the late Pathological meeting, one
OF the centres Of interest was the apple
grading machine, capable OF taking care
q ka 10 do
ing TO one-fourtb inch. Why is not
some such machine applicable to this
work of grading potatoes, cutting the
cost 10 the minimum aud insurng com
plete grading of the product, in harmo-
ny with the call of the market?
Looking over big potato cellar
here this grading has been done by
hand, and the bins showed evenness of
tubers, the value of this step was pressed
home to my vi ion and brain.
II there is call for us to seek TO elmi-
nate the overgrown in growing, |. is only
for the reason that consumers object to
buying such. Men and and women are
studying the problem OF efficiency as
never before, both in human labor and in
food products. Economy also forces
l .
In many families the loss, by what goes
to the swill-pail or garbage bucket, is
burdensome, and to be reduced through
more uniformity in size of farm prod
ucts, the minimizing of waste. Here
is the tendency, and it is one to be reck-
oned with by the grower, surely not to
be fought, for 1t has come to stay, and
become more and more factor in daily
supplies. For this reason it will be we'll
to give full attention to the drift OF the
market, and wise is he who seeks TO an
tIcipate the wants of the more critical
consumer. This is not fancy, but hard,
stubborn fact, and, in the work of 1914,
it will be we'll IL We all stand ready TO
conform, to the utmost, TO the cry of the
market, touching variety, size, uniform
ity and quality Of all farm crops Here
is to he the line of least resistance to-
morrow.