Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1926-04-03
Use OF ICrades Urged
In Canning Tomatoes
System Would Provide Premium
For First Quality Stock Should
Appeal To Growers


seen it, would do we'll to give it care
full reading:
Grades for canning tomatoes, which
would make it possible for growers to
obtain a premium for fine quality
stock have been drafted by the Blu
reau of Agricultural Economics, U. S.
Department of Agriculture, and are
urged for adoption in Maryland by
the Maryland State Department of
Markets.
Effectiveness of the grades will, of
course, depend upon the agreement of
Gamers to pay premium prices for the
No. grade of tomatoes and upon the
willingness of growers to deliver on
the basis Of grade.
AS outlined, the grades are very
simple and entirely practical. Only
two grades are provided, No. and
No. 2. Grade 2 corresponds pretty
generally to the average grade now
accepted under the fiat contract price.
Consequently, if growers and Gamers
agree upon contract based on grade,
growers will receive a premium for
all tomatoes of No. 1 grade. Under
this system culls will not be paid for;
and growers, to receive full benefit
from the system, should leave them ut
home
Wherever the system is put into eff
feet in the State, neutral inspectors
from the U. S. Bureau of Agricultural
Economies will be provided. This will
assure capable and efficient inspection
and absolute neutrality as between
growers and Gamers.
The system of inspection will work
out about as follows: When grower
delivers load Of tomatoes at the can
merry, the Inspector will examine the
lot carefully to determine the percent
age of tomatoes failing in the No. 1
and No. 2 grades. The grower will be
paid for his load on this percentage
basis. The system does not contem-
plate that the grower shall grade his
tomatoes before delivery except that
culls should be removed.
Those who are encouraging the use
of grades for the sale of canning to-
matoes see several worth while re-
suits. First of all, system of grad
ing should give farmers who produce
good tomatoes returns for their prod
uct in accordance with its worth. For
the Gamers, the system should pro-
wide higher grade stock and thus
make possible an Improvement in the
quality of the pack.
The use of grades for canning to-
matoes has been advocated for num-
Der of years but considerable prelimi-
nary work was necessary before a
practical and easily worked system
could be devised. The present grades
are thought to be entirely workable
and to be in the interests of both
growers and Gamers. Furthermore,
a system Of grading is expected to
give more stability to the canning in
dustry of the State once it gets into
general use.
At Easton where representatives Of
cooperative canneries in Maryland
and Delaware were recently called in
to conference by C. C. Colder, chair
ma of the Farm Bureau canning crops
committee, resolutions were adopted
! favoring the use of a system of
grades. In fact, some practical sys-
tenn of grading was held to be essen
tial before much progress could be
made with contemplated federation
of the cooperative canning inter-
ests of the Eastern Shor territory.
Since that meeting, Mr.. Gelder, DIR.
F. B. Bomberger, chief Of the Mary
land State Department of Markets,
w., T. Derickson, chief of the Della
ware Bureau of Markets, and various
representatives of the U. S. Bureau
of Agricultural Economics have done
much work in simplifying and per-
fecting the grades as now established,
The grades are defined as follows:
U. S. No. shall consist of toma-
toes which are firm, ripe, well colored,
well formed; free from molds and de-
cay and from damage caused by
growth cracks, worm holes, catfaces,
sunscald, freezing injury, or mechanic
al or other means. (See minimum
size.)
U. S. No. 2 shall consist of toma-
toes which do not meet the require
ments of the foregoing grade but
which are ripe and fairly well colored
and which ARE free from serious dam
age from any cause. (See minimum
size.)
Culls are tomatoes which do not
meet the requirements of either of