Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1916-12-15
REVIEWS Ways Of
MARKETING SPUOS
GOVERNMENT SUGGESTS CARE
IN HANDLING AND BET
TER GRADING.

growing industry may be bettered in
general, growers should exercise
more care in digging and handling
the tubers. should work toward the
establishment and strict observance
Of grades, and should carefully study
marketing needs and conditions. This
is the advice of specialists of the
Office of markets and rural organiza-
ton of the United States department
of agriculture in a recent publication,
Farmers Bulletin 1853, Commercial
Handling, Grading, and Marketing
of Potatoes
There are two definite crops of po-
tatoes in this country each year:
The southern early, or new" pota-
toes, which ere perishable, and the
northern late potatoes, which are
only semiperishable. The treatment
of these crops must differ consider
ably. In the south digging begins in
Florida, Texas and southern Louis
lana in May and is done mostly by
forks and plows. In some of the
hotter sections it has been found ad-
visable to pillow up the potatoes in the
late evening and pick them early the
following morning.
Picking Southern Potatoes.
Picking into rectangular, open
Slated crates, the Stats having round
ed edges, has been found most salts
factory. The potatoes 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 bar
rels with burlap covers in other
states along the Atlantic coast. In
Texas sacks are used.
Grading for the southern potato
crop has been rather extensively
adopted 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 distrib-
utors and on consignment to agencies
in distant markets. In some sections,
it was found, cooperative associations
of growers handle the marketing,
achieving successful results.
One of the largest of such associa-
lions operates along the eastern
shore of Virginia. This association
sold over six million dollars worth Of
potatoes in 1914. This organization.
like others of its kind. grades strictly
and makes use of definite brands for
the best grades of potatoes. 1t in
sists that the potatoes bearing its
brand shall be bright, free from Sec
ond growth. disease. and other de-
fects. Scabby, worm-eaten, or sun
burnt potatoes are barred. Associa-
lions operating on the same general
plan exist in most of the other South
ern states.
Northern Potato Crop.
Northern, or late potatoes, are dug
in August and September. Forks are
used to a certain extent for digging
this crop, but most of the acreage is
dug by plows and digging machines.
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
OoI0CClVG pOJdIOCo 40 ouhASACAs W NAS
count an entire shipment, the selling
value being largely determined by the
poorest tubers in the lot rather than
the best.
Even the less perishable northern
crop may be injured by hauling from
the field loose in wagons. This prac-
tice usually involves subsequent
handling, often with shovels and
scoops, which further bruises the po-
tatoes. A good practice. say special
lists of the department, is to pick the
potatoes into open-slatted crates and
haul the filled receptacles to storage
or grading houses or to cars.
Grading by Machinery.
Many sizing machines are used IN
the north to grade potatoes and, since
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