Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1919-06-26


prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture.)
Much of the loss In marketing pota-
toes due to shipping ungraded, care
lessly handled, diseased stock can be
eliminated by the grower with re-
sultant increase In his profits. Every
rotten, frozen or under-grade potato
that is loaded, and every potato spoil
ed while in transit or in storage, re-
duces the growers profits and means
waste of time and labor. 1t also
means a waste of time and labor for
every person handling it, waste Of
car space and consequently 1t amounts
to an appreciable loss to the com
munity as whole. The United States
department of agriculture, through its
markets inspection service, is trying
to eliminate this waste.
The original purpose of the markets
inspection service was conceived to be
protection to the shipper. BY re-
cent act Of congress the inspection
law has been so amended that anyone
with an interest in a shipment can ask
for an inspection. If shipper re-
ceives word that a shipment has been
rejected by the consignee, he can wire
the markets inspection office in desig-
mated markets asking for an inspec-
ton to determine the cause and JUS
tice of the rejection. The result, as
was anticipated, has been the almost
Ia, In, oil of Inc raip
lions. Knowing that an inspector Is
available to the shipper, receiver
who discovers that he has bought on
q falling market does not feel so free
to reject the shipments consigned to
him. The mere establishment of the
inspection service has almost done
away with that practice.
Faults Found in Shipments.
A second type of protection this
service was designed to afford shippers
was in settlement of claims made
when shipments were received in bad
condition. Inspections have demon
strated that the railroads often are
responsible for losses, especially fol-
freezing injury, and for troubles which
may arise because Of delay in transit
These results were expected, but to
surprising extent it has been found
responsible. in that they often shiI
poor, undergrade, diseased potatoes
Growers and shippers must be hello
responsible for much of the loss which
results from shipping diseased pota
yoes, since large portion of sucf
losses can be controlled, If not entirel,
prevented, in the field
Serious damage results from careless
handling when the potatoes are har
vested. Too many people handle pota
toes as though they were cobblestonei
rather than a perishable product
Even the breaking of the protective
skin frequently proves serious. Sucl
injury not only damages the appear
ance and necessitates deep pairing o
the tuber, but affords ready entrance
to infection. Loss of this sort lies Il
every growers and shippers powe
to control.
Sizing Not Always Dependable.
In grading potatoes too much de
pendence should not be put on slim
alone. A potato, for example, may b
so covered with second growth knob
that it will not pass through tn
> meshes of the grader, but 1t does no
rightly belong in the first grade In
knobs mean much waste and requir
, extra time in preparing the potato TO
? the table. Or, potato may measur
| up satisfactorily to the standards Q
size and yet be so diseased as to D
: worthless. A potato may oven presen
a fine prize-winning appearance Q
the surface and be far below grade bt
cause of injuries or disease OF whic
there is no evidence without cuttin
the tuber. Freezing injury, or hollo'
: heart, illustrates cases of this kin'
: The grower should not be blamed fo
: losses which result from these cause
but to a great extent field condition
: are the primary cause of the trouble
I which appear when the potatoes al
marketed.
+ In its study Of shipments of potatoe
: on the principal markets, the inspe
: ton service finds that late blight TUBE
Q rot, which is frequently followed I
\ Shiny soft rot, causes heavy losse
This disease is apparent at the TIN
Of loading. and the bad tubers can I