164 VEGETABLE GARDENING 



as soon as they are ripe or mature ; while others, as beets, 

 may be left in the field for days or even weeks until 

 market conditions become favorable, or until it is conven- 

 ient to gather the crop. 



When harvesting garden crops, consideration should 

 be given as far as possible to soil and weather conditions. 

 Heavy soils are seriously injured if tramped or disturbed 

 when wet. This difficulty, however, is often unavoidable. 

 It may be much better, and certainly it is more comfort- 

 able, to harvest crops in pleasant weather. Thousands 

 of gardeners, however, go to market every day during the 

 summer and the produce must be gathered regularly 

 without regard to the character of the weather. 



Promptness is of the greatest importance in harvest- 

 ing the most perishable crops. A day's delay may result 

 in heavy losses, especially in hot, sultry weather and in 

 seasons when destructive frosts or freezes are likely to occur. 



The organization of the field force of men demands 

 careful study. It is imperative to have an alert, tactful 

 foreman who is thoroughly familiar with every detail 

 of harvesting and well qualified to direct men. It is usu- 

 ally possible to assign each laborer to one or two rows, 

 and thus simplify the work of the foreman and place 

 definite responsibility upon each person. If baskets are 

 used, an ample supply should be kept close at hand, and 

 when the force is large it may pay to have a boy look 

 after this matter. He should see that an empty basket 

 is within the reach of each picker the moment it is 

 needed. Special roadways are necessary in collecting 

 crops all of which are not harvested at one time. In 

 some cases planting distances can be adjusted to make 

 it possible for the wheels of the wagons to straddle a 

 certain number of rows. With other crops the earliest 

 maturing varieties may be planted on the strips wanted 

 for roads. This ground will be almost if not entirely 

 free when the later varieties are ready to harvest 



