210 POTATO CULTURE. 



The material used in the boxes is basswood, which is the 

 lightest for the same strength of any thing. It is also tough, 

 and holds nails well, and will not split in nailing. If, in nail- 

 ing, you soak the ends of the slats or boards, the nails will 

 drive much easier, and will absolutely prevent splitting. 



The boxes used by Mr. Terry are made close, with no ven- 

 tilation ; they are also bound with iron, for strength and 

 durability. As we now make them, the ends are of three 

 pieces, i inch thick, with a cleat ix2 inches across each end ; 

 the two lower pieces, 5 inches wide, are set close together ; 

 leave a i-inch space for a hand-hole, and a 2-inch piece on 

 top. The cleats across the ends up and down are placed in- 

 side the box when nailing on the sides and bottom. This 

 gives one inch surface to nail the sides to ; 

 reduces the weight of the box, and makes it 

 stronger. The sides and bottoms are each 

 in two pieces, 6i wide, and strong, f thick. 

 The upper edge of the sides on the bound 

 boxes are iron bound with roofing-tin folded 



nthus, and slipped on with the edges in 

 appropriate grooves. When the box- 

 es are nailed up, a piece of galvanized 

 iron i inch wide is passed around each end, 

 leaving six or eight inches above the hand-hole uncovered, 

 so there may be no danger of cutting the hands in lifting or 

 carrying the boxes. This binding on the top edge and 

 around the ends adds just 5 cents to the cost of each box, 

 but is well, worth it, because of the increased durability. 

 These boxes are packed for shipment in crates of 1 doz , 10 

 in the flat packed inside of two nailed up, and nails are in- 

 cluded for the ten. Each package weighs about 85 Ibs., and 

 the price is $2.10 much less, you notice, than Mr. Terry 

 paid for the first lot he had made. Shipped in this way they 

 go as 4th-class freight, while if shipped all nailed up they go 

 at Ist-class more than double the 4th-class rate. Price of 

 above boxes, all nailed, in lots of 10 or more, will be 22 cents 

 each. 



