120 THE POTATO. 



forced under glass should be packed almost as carefully 

 as apples. Stout paper is usually tied over the tops of 

 baskets over the packing material ; but " benders " may be 

 used instead if preferred. 



Packing: Material. It is a very common practice to 

 use the potato haulm for packing purposes, as it is always 

 handy. This does fairly well for barrels, though if too 

 green and young, it is apt to become rather messy at the 

 bottom. Kough hay, such as is cut from the bases of 

 hedges, is a good deal better. It may be used green if 

 preferred, straight away after cutting. Any litter that 

 happens to be plentiful and cheap may be utilised for pack- 

 ing potatoes, the haulm being perhaps, the least desirable. 



Packing: Late Crops Crops that are stored in 

 sheds or clamps are packed as already described for early 

 crops. Bags are invariably used for these, the potatoes 

 being shovelled into them with a wooden or open-work 

 metal shovel (see " Implements and Appliances "). They 

 may be graded by hand, in sieves, or in one of the larger 

 sorting machines specially made for the purpose. 



Miscellaneous Hints. For small crops, or when 

 sending to a local market, many kinds of empties often 

 have to be used. This does not matter so long as the 

 grading is good this is the important point. Hampers, 

 baskets, boxes, bags, or almost any receptacles may be 

 pressed into the service. Great care must always be taken 

 that no diseased tubers are included in a market sample, 

 as these bring down the price immediately. The endea- 

 vour should always be to send up a clean, well-graded, 

 evenly-packed sample, so that a name may be gained for 

 fair packing and good quality. The tail are usually sold 

 locally as pigs' potatoes; it would not pay to send these 

 to the vegetable market. If a good variety is grown it 

 often pays better to market only the firsts, disposing 

 of the seconds for seed purposes. 



