530 Circular No. 5. 



Marketing. The marketing problems on Long Island are those of the 

 less-quickly perishable products, chiefly potatoes, cauliflower, and Brussels 

 sprouts. 



(a) Packages — A better package is needed for cauliflowers than the 

 commonly-used flour or salt barrel, as the heads in the bottom of the 

 barrel are subjected to considerable pressure; and those on top, as they 

 project far beyond the top of the barrel, are poorly protected from 

 injury. Some form of slatted crate which would hold only two layers 

 should appeal to the trade, and prove a paying innovation for the 

 grower. 



(b) Associations — Much of the difficulty in marketing has been met 

 through the formation of two co-operative associations which market 

 the cauliflowers and potatoes of the Eastern End. The cauliflower asso- 

 ciation is the older and more firmly established of the two. The potato 

 exchange has been in operation but one year and its worth has not yet 

 been acknowledged by all. The exchange claims to have marketed about 

 one-fourth of the crops of the four eastern townships, and to have raised 

 the price ten cents upon the entire crop. Regardless of the success of 

 this particular exchange, we know that growers' associations for market- 

 ing crops are usually highly beneficial in their communities. If this 

 potato exchange is carefully adjusted to the needs of its members, and 

 if its interests are administered wisely and intelligently, it should and 

 probably will result in considerable financial benefit to the growers. 

 Growers do well to patronize such organizations. They should have well- 

 founded reasons before they allow such to go out of existence because 

 of lack of support. The success of all such ventures is dependent upon 

 the enthusiastic aid of the community. 



FERTILIZATION 



Green-manuring. The survey reveals the fact that cover-crops are 

 used too sparingly. Of the 8,743 acres surveyed under cultivation, 

 4,292, or about one-half, were in truck crops. This large proportion of 

 the cultivated land on which commercial fertilizers are used brings about 

 the partial exclusion of coarse organic material, such as barnyard 

 manures and green-cover crops. It is highly probable that if more 

 leguminous cover-crops were grown and plowed under for green- 

 manuring, the average yields of many of the crops could be considerably 

 increased. This increase would result for several reasons: (/) With 

 the lighter types of soils common on Long Island the water-holding 

 capacity of the soil is increased by the addition of humus. In years of 

 long droughts, such as the year 1908, this is an important factor. (2) 



