Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-12-29

The bureau of markets of the
United States department of agri-
culture recommends the following
grades as a standard for the grad
ing and marketing of sweet pota-
toes.
Tentative grade specifications for
this product were proposed by the
bureau of markets in April, 1918.
They were based upon the result OF
Investigations conducted both in the
producing areas and in the mar
kets. The use of these tentative
grades by many individuals and mar
keting associations afforded the in
vestigators of the bureau of, mar
kets an opportunity to study the
practical application of the specifl-
cations and determine whether any
changes were desirable.
U. S. Grade No. 1 gave general
satisfaction to both growers and
dealers and has not been changed.
In the case of u. S. Fancy No. 1
grade it was found impossible to Sc
cure a uniform Interpretation of the
Technology "bright in color, smooth
of surface, and of uniform shape for
the variety throughout" and there
was little demand for such a grade.
For these reasons it has been elm
mated.
The U. S. Medium grade, as de-
fined in the tentative specifications,
has been omitted, as it was found
impractical for use in the sections
for which it was intended. Substi
tuted for it is the gu. S. Grade No.
1 Medium This grade, which has
minimum diameter of one and one
half inches, doubtless will be used
only in sections which dig early
and sacrifice yield for early market
prices, as in sections of North Car
DINA.
"U. S. Grade No. 1 Long" is in
cluded under U. S. Grade No. 1 to
provide for sections where long
type of sweet potato, such as the
Triumph, is grown. When this
grade is used the lot must contain
no sweet potatoes under six inches
in length.
"U. S. Grade No. 2" and ~. 8.
Jumbo Grade remain as they were
in the tentative grades, except that
in Grade No. 2 the limitation on
the length of the sweet potato has
been removed.
"U. S. Grade No. 3" is added to
provide for lots which fail to meet
the requirements Of any of the other
grades.
The reader must not get the i'm
preston that it is necessary or de-
sirable to sort a given lot of sweet
potatoes into all grades. u. S. Grade
No. Medium and U. S. Grade No.
1 Long are included to care for Sec
lions where u. S. Grade No. 1 will
not include all Of the stock of the
first quality. In most instances it
will be desirable only to sort from
the number one stock the diversified,
understood, and other inferior sweet
potatoes, shipping the number ones
to market and disposing of the re-
mainder as stock feed or to the can
merry.
The department has no authority
to promulgate standard grades for
sweet potatoes, yet it is . believed
that with the voluntary and general
support of all parties, these stand
ards will assist in stabilizing the mar
keting of the sweet potato crop.
United States Grades for Sweet Pc.
tatOes u. S. Grade No. 1
U. S. Grade No. / shall consist
of sound sweet potatoes Of similar
varietal characteristics which are
practically free from dirt or other
foreign matter, frost injury, decay,
bruises, cuts, scars, cracks, and dam
age caused by heat, disease, insects
Including weevils), or mechanical or
other means. =
The diameter of each sweet Pc
tato shall not be less than one and
ee-quarter inches nor more than
three and one-half inches, and the
length shall not be less than four
inches if the diameter is two and
one-quarter. inches or more.
In order to allow for variations
incident to commercial grading and
handling, five per cent, by weight,
of any lot, may not meet the require
ments as to diameter and length,
and, in addition, six per cent, by
weight, may be below the remain
ing requirements Of the grade.
Any lot in which the diameter is
not less than one and one-half inches
and which contains a greater per-
centage by weight Of sweet pota-
toes below one and three quarters
inches than is permitted in U. S.
Grade No. 1, but which otherwise
meets the requirements Of such
grade shall be designated as U. S.
Grade No. 1 Medium.
Any lot in which the length is
not less than six inches nor more
than twelve inches and which con-
tains a greater percentage by weight
of sweet potatoes above ten inches
in length than is permitted in U
do, hut i1ala II h q