The Cook County news-herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Cook County, Minn.) 1909-current, 1916-12-13
PROFITABLE MARKETING
OF the POTATO CROP
Greater Care Necessary in Digging
And Handling, Say Specialist
Standardization Needed,

anu CHaI CONulClOnS IN Lne pOC8CO.
growing industry may be bettered in
general, growers should exercise more
care in digging and handling the tu-
bers, should work toward the estab-
lishment and strict observance of
grades, and should carefully study
marketing needs and conditions. This
is the advice of specialists of the Of
flee Of Markets and Rural Organiza-
tion of the department in a recent
publication, Farmers Bulletin 753,
Commercial Handling, Grading, and
Marketing of Potatoes.
Early and Late Potatoes
There are two definite crops of po-
tatoes in this country each year: The
southern early, or new potatoes,
which are perishable, and the north
ern late potatoes, which are only
semiperishable. The treatment of
these crops must differ considerably.
In the South digging begins in Flori-
da, Texas, and southern Louisiana in
May and is done mostly by forks and
plows. In some of the hotter Sec
tions it has been found advisable to
pillow up the potatoes in the late
evening and pick them early the fol-
lowing morning. Picking into rec
tangular, open Slated crates. the
Stats having rounded edges, has been
found most satisfactory. The pota-
toes should not be hauled loose in
wagons, since such treatment may
bruise them seriously. For shipment
the southern potatoes are packed in
hampers and double-headed barrels
in Florida and in barrels with bur-
lap covers in other states along the
Atlantic coast. In Texas sacks are
used.
Grading for the southern potato
crop has been rather extensively a.
dopted with good results, the graded
potatoes bringing better prices. Me-
chanical graders are used in some
sections.
The marketing of the southern
crop is effected largely through cash
buyers at shipping points. Ship
ments are also made through distri-
butors and on consignment to agen-
cies in distant markets. In some
sections, it was found, cooperative
associations of growers handle the
marketing, achieving successful re-
suits. One of the largest of such
associations operates along the east
ern shore of Virginia. This associa-
tion sold over six million dollars
worth of potatoes in 1914. This or
ganization, like others of it's kind,
grades strictly and makes use of de-
finite brands Tor the best grades of
potatoes. 1t insists that the pota-
toes bearing it's brand shall be right,
free from second growth, disease,
and other defects. Scabby, worm
eaten, or sunburnt potatoes are bar
red. Associations operating on the
same general plan exists in most of
the other southern States.
Northern Potato Crop
Northern, or late potatoes, are dug
in August and September. Forks
are used to a certain extent for dig
ging this crop, but most of the acre.
age is dug by plows and digging ma
chimes. For the successful use of
the latter, soil conditions must be
good. Under favorable conditions
the use of such machines has been
found profitable. There is much loss
from bruising potatoes in all types
of digging. Deep blowing with
plows and machines should eliminate
most of such losses.
Picking in the north is mostly by
hand, but some combination digging
and picking machines are in use. if
the potatoes are to be graded as
picked, growers should carefully in
struct pickers in the work since the
inclusion of a few diseased, cut or de-
fective potatoes is sufficient to dis
count and entire shipment, the sell
ling value being largely determined
by the poorest tubers in the lot ra-
Their than the best. Even the less
perishable northern crop may be in
| jured by hauling from the field loose
in wagons. This practice usually in
wolves subsequent handling, often
with shovels and scoops, which fur
Their bruises the potatoes. A good
practice, says specialists of the de-
partment is to pick the potatoes in
to open-slatted crates and haul the
filled receptacles to storage or grad
ing houses or to cars.
Grading
Many sizing machines are used in
the North to grade potatoes and,
since they give more accurate re-
suits than hand grading, their use
should be extended. In addition to
sorting, these machines are of SER
vice in removing dirt. This ia an