396 The Profitable Culture of Vegetables. 



advisable to divide the pods of one variety into two grades. As the season 

 reaches its height the Peas are consigned in bags supplied specially for 

 the purpose by salesmen, vast quantities being sent to market in this way. 

 As soon as the rush of supplies is over half-bushel baskets arc again used 

 to the *nd of the season. When picking once begins the plants need going 

 over every two or three days, as the pods swell rapidly, and to allow 

 them to become too old not only spoils the sample but brings the bearing of 

 the plants to a speedy end. Where Peas are grown extensively it is a 

 common practice to wait until the bulk is ready and then turn into the field 

 a gang of women and children who pull up the haulms and strip them of 

 pods, completely clearing the ground as they go. When this method is 

 followed a large field is sown in sections, at intervals of a few days, so that 

 none will get too old before being gathered. 



POTATOES. Very early Potatoes are usually sent to market in half- 

 bushel baskets, and later in pads, hampers, pots, and barrels with wicker 

 lids, in fa'ct, in anything in which they can be conveniently packed, this 

 being a matter in which the choice generally rests with the salesman who 

 sends the empties. The important thing is to properly sort and grade them, 

 rejecting altogether all damaged, diseased, or very small ones, and to handle 

 them very carefully so as not to bruise them or break the skin. In packing, 

 a little soft material, such as Potato tops or rough hay, is put at the bottom 

 of the receptacle and a little more on the top, which is then fastened down 

 with splinths. " Topping" should never be practised, but the tubers should 

 be of even quality throughout, and of even weight in each package, the 

 weight being marked plainly on the label. 



Main-crop Potatoes do not require the same care in handling that earlies 

 do, because being matured they do not so easily bruise and the skin is 

 tougher. They are sent to market in bags ; in the London district these 

 usually contain from 1 cwt. to 2 cwt. each, but further north they are con- 

 signed by the "load" or "half -load" (a "load" consists of 18 stones of 

 141bs.). When prices are good at least a portion of the crop is usually 

 despatched to market direct from the field, in which case a weighing 

 machine is kept close to the pickers, and the Potatoes are put into bags 

 which are immediately weighed, tied, and labelled. Women are employed 

 for picking up the Potatoes, and the grading is usually done at the same 

 time, one collecting the largest sound tubers, known as "ware," another 

 the middle-sized ones, known as "seed," and a third the smallest, and 

 diseased or damaged ones, known as "chats" and "tail." The ware is 

 sent to market, and when the size of these is very irregular it pays to 

 sort them into two samples each of fairly even size ; the seed is usually 

 disposed of at home, though some salesmen will undertake the sale of it, 

 and in times of great scarcity it is often sorted over again and the best 

 sold as ware ; the tail and chats are disposed of locally for pig feeding. 

 The Potatoes not dispatched directly from the field are clamped, or stored 

 in a dry cool shed where they will be safe from frost, and they are then 

 marketed as opportunity and prices dictate. 



