Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-03-14
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION
~ DR.. ANDREW NJ. SOULE

| riercial houses in Georgia than in
any other state. While the growers,
! in general, believe the operators of
these houses are making handsome
profits. the fact is that few of thelH
have operated at profit during the
past two years. Some Of them have
suffered heavy losses.
Conditions Affecting Marketing
While shippers are discovering the
real situation as regards the stor-
/ ing and marketing of sweet potatoes,
| the growers themselves, as class,
seem to have many misconceptions.
They overestimate the demand for
their product in northern markets,
and they underestimate. the need for
more economical production and bet
ter marketing practices. The fact
is that the sweet potato industry in
Georgia is developing under certain
handicaps. These handicaps may
be enumerated as follows: G) Low
yields per acre, (2) distance from mar
kets,. (3) variety that is not as
popular as those of competing areas,
t4) container that Is not popular
with the trade, (5) lack of Standard
zation as regards variety, grade, and
pack, and ICY lack Of organization
among the growers.
For the three years, 1919, 1920
and 1921, the average production
per acre in Georgia was ninety BUSH
els. This is the lowest production
among the nine southern states
which are of the most Importance
from the standpoint Of commercial
acreage. Georgia completes in the
markets with eight Of these states,
each enc of which has the advan-
tage Of a. higher yield per acre. l.
completes also with Virginia which
has a yield for the same period OF
1870 bushels, and with New Jersey,
which has a yield of 1875 bushels.
In addition to the advantage af-
fcrded by higher yields the other
states of the sweet potato.produc-
ing area, with few exceptions,
have the advantage in proximity to-
markets. If Georgia stock is ship:
ped to the eastern markets it COM
petes with stock from the north
eastern section Of Ethe sweet potato
area which includes New Jersey,
Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and
northeastern North Carolina. If the
central group of states are viewed
as market Tennessee, for instance,
has the advantage Of a shorter
freight haul As regards the mar
kets further west Arkansas, LouiSi-
ana and Texas have the same adj
vantage.
OF the several varieties of moist,
sugary sweet potatoes grown in
Georgia, the Porto Rico is most i'm
portant, and makes up the bulk Of
the shipments. It is a popular va.
riety in the south, but it is not SO
popular outside of this territory.
Here again, competing sections or
states have the advantage. The
markets Of the east and north prefer
the dry, mealy varieties produced
in the northeastern section, or the
Nancy Halls produced in Tennessee.
This preference for other varieties
IL not only indicated by the demand
and carlot movement, but by the
prices paid.
A five-peck crate, 12x12x1S ga
inches is in general use in Geor.
gia and South Carolina, as a con.
tainer for storing and shipping. The
states of the northeastern section
ship mostly in barrels and hampers.
Tennessee ships in hampers, AMI
IlS AilOsI pOA1uAdA COildli1CAS uoSN
by the other states are bushel ham
pers, bushel baskets, and bushel
crates. The use of standard bushel
containers which are popular with
the trade gives to competing states
another advantage on the markets.
The sweet potatoes shipped from
Georgia, as the Porto Rico variety,
vary considerably in type and color,
and there seems to be little effort
to fix the characteristics of the va
riety through intelligent seed selec-
ton and proper methods of propa-
cation. There is also lack Of stand
ardization in grading and packing,
which has interfered with the salts
factory marketing of the crop. Geor-
gia has an lEnenviable reputation for
poor quality. The preference Of the