190 



which is occasioned in sacks is sufficient to break the 

 skin, consequently they should be sent to market in 

 skeps or hampers. When the skin becomes harder 

 they may be conveyed in sacks, and when quite ripe, 

 and the skin is firmly set, they may be shovelled, 

 with a potato shovel, into a cart, and thrown loosely 

 into the railway truck. So long as the skin can be 

 easily rubbed off by pressure between the thumb and 

 fingers it is absolutely necessary to convey them in 

 hampers. A handful of straw, or more commonly of 

 haulm, is placed on the top before they are fastened 

 down to avoid injury by friction. The expense of 

 conveying potatoes in hampers is very great, conse- 

 quently it is advisable to watch them carefully so that 

 the hampers may be dispensed with as soon as they 

 are really in a fit condition to be put in sacks. Sacks 

 are expensive, and saving is gained when they can be 

 dispensed with, and the potatoes are conveyed loosely 

 in the trucks. 



Pitting and Housing Ripe Potatoes. 



Except in cases where the potatoes are placed on the 

 market very early in the season, and such exceptionally 

 high prices are realised that it is advisable to sell even 

 the smallest, the seed potatoes should be stored at once. 

 In gardens where small lots are grown they may be 

 left exposed to the light, to allow the skin to become 

 green and hard, but on a larger scale this is not con- 

 venient, and they keep sufficiently well if placed at 

 once in the pits. Pits or clamps should be made above 



