THE POTATO 235 



regions of Louisiana and Texas, where early pota- 

 toes form a crop of considerable importance, im- 

 proved machinery is largely depended upon for 

 harvesting. 



"The packages for early potatoes are determined 

 partly by custom and the demands of the market, 

 but largely by the local timber supply. In regions 

 v/here timber is plentiful and barrels and crates 

 figure largely in the shipment of other truck crops, 

 potatoes are chiefly shipped in barrels. In other 

 localities burlap sacks are chiefly employed, as is 

 the case in most regions growing late potatoes. 



"Up to the present time no standard measure, 

 barrel, or bag for the handling of potatoes has been 

 adopted. Recently certain states have passed 

 laws requiring that these packages should come up 

 to a given standard, usually 170 pounds net for a 

 barrel, and that all short-measure packages enter- 

 ing their markets should be so marked. The 

 barrel used by the trucker of the Atlantic coast 

 region during past years holds about 11 pecks and 

 weighs from 155 to 165 pounds net. These barrels 

 cost the grower about 22 cents each, including the 

 burlap cover. The bags used for the handling of 

 the crop grown in the southwestern region cost the 

 grower about 5 cents each in lots of 1,000 or more. 

 These packages are used but once and are not 

 returned to the grower. 



"The grading of early potatoes is quite as im- 

 portant as the grading of fruits. Large and small 

 tubers should not be mixed in the same barrel. 

 The pickers should be taught to gather the large 

 and merchantable tubers in one basket and the 

 small or seed potatoes in another, and these if 

 placed upon the market should go in separate 

 receptacles and be clearly marked so as to repre- 



