Newport daily independent., 1918-06-03
WATCH IRISH 7
 POTATO MARKET
Harvest at the Right Time and Handle
 Your Crop Carefully.
By J. s. Knox, Horticulturist, Exten-
 sion Division, University of Arkan-

| The present indications are that the Irish potato crop in Arkansas will be considerably above the average. This being the case and knowing that there are still large quantities of the North ern grown crop still in storage, it be- comes evident that if we expect to market our crop with profit we must exercise the greatest care in the har- vesting. grading and shipping ofF our crop
 Care Necessary at Time of Harvest.
 Watch the market and do not dig the potatoes until mature unless the demand is good and the prices high. Remember, digging must be done as soon as the crop is mature, but that mature potatoes if handled right will keep longer and, therefore, can be tmarketed slowly and with more profit | than if they had to be put on a poor market because they were dug too l soon and would not keep. Exercise | the greatest care in the handling of the crop at time of harvest and if it can be avoided do not dig the crop when the soil is wet because this causes the soil to adhere to the tub CTS and increases the chance of bruises and. consequently, rotting. If you can afford to do so, use potato digger for harvesting the crop. These are made in such way that when the soil is in proper condition they will leave almost all of the potatoes | in sight. Do not dig the potatoes anl leave them exposed to the sun any longer than it can be helped, employ ing, if possible, enough help to keep them picked up as fast as they are 1 dug.
 Grade the Potatoes Properly.
 If we expect to receive a remunera- | tive price for our potatoes this year it is absolutely necessary that we have them properly graded. The Blu reau of Markets of the U. s. Depart ment of Agriculture urges the adop- tion of the following grades:
 U. s. Grade No. 1. "This grade shall consist of sound potatoes of similar varietal character istics which are practically free from
 
 jury, sunburn, second growth, cuts, scab, blight, dry rot and damage caus- ed by insect, disease or mechanical means. The minimum diameter of DO tatoes of round varieties shall be 7-S inches and of potatoes of long varie- ties 3-4 inches. In order to allow for variations incident to commercial T !. by weight of any lot may be under the prescribed size and, in addition, three percentum by weight of any such lot may be below the remaining requirements of this grade"
 U. s. Grade No. 2. "This grade shall consist of pota- toes of similar varietal characteris- tics which are practically free from frost, injury and decay, and which are free from serious damage caused by dirt or other foreign matter, sunburn, second growth, cuts, scab, blight, dry rot, or other disease, insects or me i chanical means. The minimum diam i eter shall be 1 1-2 inches. In order to allow for variations incident to commercial grading and handling, five per centum by weight of any lot may be under the size mentioned and, ia addition, five per centum by weight of any such lots may be below the remaining requirements of this grade.' The above grades point out clearly to us just what is to be expected of our growers this season and unless we measure up to the requirements prices may be unusually low Sack Potatoes ProperIy-Looks Mean
 a Great Deal.
 Finally, after the potatoes nave been graded they must be put in ;a neat, clean sack. All sacks should be practically new and of the same size. Potatoes from Arkansas are often car ried to the cars for shipping in any and every kind of sack that can be p<cked up and as a result they make bad appearance on the market Do not make this mistake, for if the DO tatoes have been graded properly and are placed in clean bags of the sape size the appearance will be far better and, consequently, better price will be paid for them. It is well to be reminded of certain buyer in the Fort Smith section last season who bought a carload of potatoes at $1.25 bushel. He had the potatoes plac- ei in new bags of equal size and then rescld them right on the yard for S5 cents a bushel mere than he paid for them The few extra cents that may come from proper grading and pack ing or sacking may mean the differ ence between profit and loss.
 Arkansas has ;s big crop Of potatoes. Let us try to put them up in such q way as to secure the best price for them. Talk this over with the mes,.- bers of your association and write % inc Bureau of Markets, Old State house, Little Rock, Ark. for sugges-