Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-11-10
GRADING The POTATO
United States Department Of Agrl-
culture Gives Suggestions.
NEEDED INFORMATION FOR GROWER
Clemson Extension Promulgates Rules
and Regulations for the Standardi7
zation of the South Carolina Fro

] SlGIlloOU ESICIlolSH
and Regulations for the Standardi1
zation of the South Carolina Pro-
duct.
Extension Circular No. IL.
Tentative grade specifications for
this product were first proposed by
the Bureau of Markets, U. S. Depart
ment of Agriculture, in April, 1918.
They were based upon the results OF
investigations conducted both in the
producing areas and in the markets.
For the past three years this division
of the eXtenoion service Of Clemson
| college has been also devoting great
deal of time and attention 20 these
grades as applied to sweet potatoes in
this state The use of the tentative
grades by many individuals and mar
keting associations throughout the
sweet potato belt has afforded an OPP
portunity to study the proper applica-
ton OF the specifications and to deter
mine whether any changes were desir-
able. 1t has been necessary to make
| only Il lew fli lue bihdSS Go
first proposed by the Bureau CT Mar
kets, u. S. ID. A. These grades have
been adopted by several Of the sweet
potato states and have now been in
use in this state for three seasons.
U. s. Grade No. has given general
satisfaction to both growers and deal
ers.
The U. S. Medium Grade as defined
in the tentative specifications has been
dropped and for it has been substitute
ed the u. S. Grade No. Medium.
This grade, which has minimum di-
ametcr of II 1-2 inches, is to be used
only in sections which dig early and
sacrifice yield for early market prices.
U. S. Grade No. l Long is also in
cluded under U. S. Grade No. to pro-
vide for sections where long type OF
sweet potato such as the Triumph is
grown In this grade the lot must con-
tain no sweet potatoes under six inches
in length.
In u S. Grade No, 2 it will be noted
that the length requirement named
in the tentative specifications has
been removed.
The reader must not get the impress
sion that it is necessary or desirable
TO sort given lot Of sweet potatoes
into all of the grades. u. S. Grade
No. 1 Medium and U. S. Grade No
Long are included to care for sections
where u. S. Grade No. will not in
clude all of the stock of first quality.
In most instances, it will be desra-
bic only to sort from the No. stock
the oversize, undersize and other in
ferior sweet potatoes, shipping the
No rs to market and disposing Of the
remainder as stock feed or to the ca "
neries.
u. S. Grade No. 1.
U. S. Grade No. 1 shall consist Of
sound sweet potatoes of similar varie-
tai characteristics which arc practi-
cally free from dirt or other foreign
matter frost injury decay, bruises, :
cuts, scars, cracks, and damage caused
by heat, disease, insects, Gncluding
wecvils), OF mechanical or other
means.
The diameter OF each sweet potato
| shall not be less than one and three
quarter inches nor more than three
and one-half inches, and the length
shall not be less than four inches nor
more than ten inches, but the length
may be less than four Inches If the
diameter is two and one quarter inch
! es or more.
In order TO allow for variations Incl
dent to commercial grading and hand
ling, five per cent by weight of any lot
may not meet the requirements as to
diameter and length, and, in addition,
six per cent by weight may be below
the remaining requirements of the
grade.
Any lot in which the diameter is not
less than one and one-half inches and
which contains greater percentage
by weight of sweet potatoes below one
and quarter inches than is per-
mitted in Z. s. Grade No. 1, but which
otherwise meets the requirements of
such grade shall be designated as U.
S. Grade No. Medium.
Any lot in which the length Is not
less than six inches nor more than
twelve inches and which contains a
greater percentage by weight of sweet
potatoes above ten inches in length
than is permitted in U. S. Grade No. /,
but which otherwise meets the re-
quirements of such grade shall be des-
ignated as U. s. Gri &c No. Long.
y. S. Grade No. 2.
U. s. Grade No. 2 shall consist Of
sound sweet potatoes of similar varie-
tai characteristics not meeting the re-
quirements of the foregoing grades,
which are free from serious damage
caused by dirt or other foreign matter,
frost injury, decay bruises cuts, scars,
cracks, heat, disease, insects or me-
chanical or other means, and which are
not less than one and one-half inches