Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-08-31
POTATO SCHOOL
CLOSES TODAY
Federal Experts Leave For
the West to Establish
Inspection Systems.

s Although today's session ssof the
potato grading school conducted here
by the North Dakota agricultural
college was Intended primarily yfor,
potato growers and dealers, the In
clement weather prevented many
from attending. For this reason the
work Of the school, which comes to
a close this afternoon, was devoted to
'~instructing prospective inspectors.
The work this morning consisted Of
an actual demonstration of potato in
spection and grading in car lots, the
gathering being held at the o. J..
Barnes & Co. warehouse on South
Third street. Student inspectors pres
emit ~ the work under the super
vision and direction Of federal ex-
perts. A large lot "of EARLY Ohios
were used for: the demonstration and
ten sacks inspected before an
equitable percentage was arrived at.
The method used consists Of dump
ing the entire contents of a sack ON
the floor, and the understood and: de
fective rspuds are placed in a wire
basket and weighed tt get the per-
centage of imperfection. If four or
five sacks Of a lot run uniform and
the inspector is satipied that his
tests. are consistent with the average
u Of potatoes in that lot, the in
spection is discontinued. but If the
lot is mixed and sacks differ in
quality, as many as ten sacks or more
to a carlot are examined.
" Defects Noted.
Among the blemishes and defects
looked for are growth cracks, cuts,
sunburn, grub injury. hollow heart,
blight or other mechanical injuries,
according to r. M. Peterson, in
charge of inspection in this state.
There is a S per cent tolerance in
size; that is, II not more Than s per
cent of the potatoes fail to meet the
requirements OF the inspection law,
the general size OF the lot will meet
the standard of u. S. grade. No. 1.
There is a 6 per cent tolerance in
blemishes and defects; that is" II in
the judgment of the inspector, the
defects do not adversely affect the
product than that amount. the
shipment is passed as No. l. There
is. however, n exception and that
is in the matter Of wet rot, which
must no exceed one-third Of the 6
In q car r
Disregard Tolerance.
Mr.. Peterson pointed out that
shippers should entirely disregard
the tolerance and try as far as hui
manly possible to meet the U. S. No.
l grade 100 per cent. as the purpose
Of the tolerance was not to be Senient
to the shipper but to make the in
spection regulations flexible, thus al
lowing for oversight in inspection.
THE successful shipper this xear
will be. the one who grades. sacks
and loads his product carefully, for
the competition among growers will
be exceptionally keen, due to- the
large crop, and the man with the
super-prbduct will be the n to
profit. Even though a farmer keeps
rs per. cent of his crop on the farm
as culls and detectives, he would get
as much for the rs per cent shipped
as for his entire lot. and the culls
could be used as stock feed" Mr..
Peterson pointed out. THE saving in
freight would are for the addi-
tional expense"
Mr.. Peterson, whose headquarters
will be in Fargo, will remain here a
few days supervising the installation
of inspectors in this district. =
Wells A. Sherman. Washington, D.
c., and R. c.. Butner, Chicago. ex-
perts of the United States department
OF agriculture. will leave this evening
for. the west to assist in establishing
similar inspection systems In other
states. They will visit South Dakota,
Colorado and Utah, and perhaps go
on to the Pacific coast. M. A. Russell
Of Minneapolis. another federal man,
will leave for his headquarters this