Oxford Democrat., 1919-03-25
Preparing Vegetables for Market.

| (By 81. P. Sweetser.)
In general, there are certain factors
that must be considered as they apply
to all vegetables going to market; and
In addition, there are specific details
that must be looked after in preparing
each different type of vegetable before II
Is started for the market.
The first general factor is selection.
This is strictly field operation and has
largely to do with maturity Of product,
freedom from insect, injury and disease.
| Harvesting crews should be carefully
informed al to the maturity of the par
ticular product that they are to select.
II 1t happens to be beet green's thinned
from the main crop, the size should be
specified and caution given to keep out
any and all weeds. Ifit happens to be
green peas or snap beans, caution must
be exercised to see that over-mature and
immature pods are not picked with the
rest OF the crop. Badly infested cabbage
OF diseased celery can best be eliminated
BY the harvesting crew.
Many crops should be graded after
harvesting and for this purpose special
tables should be provided In the packing
shed. Uniformity and freedom from
blemishes are important. There Is no
place where certain types Of vegetables
can be properly graded except in the
packing house. Bunched root crops,
such a. table beets, should be carefully
graded for size and freedom from in.
juries due to bruises from field Guilt
vators or in harvesting. Asparagus
should be carefully graded as to size, a.
there is good market for each size IL it
is properly graded, while the ungraded
bunohes might have to sell at q very low
price to find a purchaser.
The third general factor is that Of
packing. This operation includes many
details of preparation, and actual plac-
ing, of the products In satisfactory con-
tainers. or course many crops are Of
such nature that If properly selected in
the field and graded in the packing house
they may at once be placed In the proper
packages. However there are many
such crops which need washing, trim.
ming, punching, tying and similar opera
tions before they are ready to be placed
in the containers.
To make this part of the work not too
burdensome 1t is essential that all of the
equipme ent necessary be properly srrang-
ed for the greatest economy. Washing
tanks and drain tables should be 80 con.
structed and arranged that q minimum
amount of work will be required to clean
the products 80 handled. Bunching
racks, trimming knives, material for ty.
ing, scales, wrapping paper and other
material and equipment to be used
should be arranged 10 the most con.
venieut places in the packing room.
Sufficient space should be provided for
empty containers and the room for the
packed products should be SO arranged
that loading may be done with the least
possible energy.
In regard to packages We should not
lose sight of the fact that most of the
containers used for marketing vegetables
are gift packages, that is they are not
returned to the grower, unless the prod.
uct 10 sold to the retail trade, where
there is possibility to exchange for
empty boxes Of the same type. With
this situation 1t is easy to realize that
the cost of the packages must be kept as
low 90 possible and still have container
of sufficient strength to prevent break
age az we'll a. being attractive and sani-
tary. Special ventilated packages are
essential to prevent heating and loss in
some products, while in other cases the
chief object Of the package and type Of
pack used 10 to. prevent crushing or
bruisIng.
The hamper basket Is gaining popular
ity and 10 used for marketing selected
collection of vegetables for home use.
This hamper and other types of packages
are accepted by parcel post and there IL
an interesting future for the develop.
ment of this form of marketing where
special types of packages must be used
to meet the demands Of the carrier,
whether public or private. p;