THE POTATO 115 



of two boxes is near the width of the ordinary 

 wagon-bed, leaving only room for the hands when 

 putting them into position, and, when empty, one 

 box can be placed inside of two others, economizing 

 space. With high sideboards on the wagon-bed, 

 it is convenient to tier up sixty bushels when draw- 

 ing from the field to the cellar or to market, but 

 the extensive grower may prefer a long platform 

 that will hold twenty or more boxes in a single 

 tier. 



"The home-made box is usually less satis- 

 factory. It is rarely made of the best light mate- 

 rial, and when one takes into account the number 

 of times the boxes must be handled, he may see the 

 advantage of having the very best. Manufac- 

 turers furnish solid boxes that weigh only seven 

 pounds, are exact in size, trim in appearance, and 

 will last for fifteen or twenty years, if cared for 

 properly. Other boxes, slatted on ends and sides, 

 are furnished at a less price, and are less sub- 

 stantial. The boxes, bought in crates of a dozen, 

 cost about 18 cents apiece for the solid ones and 

 14 cents for the slatted. 



"The potatoes are picked up after the digger 

 and placed in the boxes, the unmerchantable 

 tubers being left on the ground. When a load is 

 ready, the boxes are handed up to the driver of the 

 wagon, and while he takes the load to the car, cel- 

 lar or other place of storage another load is made 

 ready by the pickers. Returning, the driver puts 

 his empty boxes out, takes on his load of full ones, 

 and the work proceeds with a minimum amount 

 of handling. If the potatoes are drawn directly 

 to consumers, neat boxes for handling them are a 

 good advertisement as well as a means of saving 

 labor, time, and injury to the stock. 



