MARKETING 167 



The house should be of ample capacity, with space pro- 

 vided for shifting the wagons if necessary. Crowded 

 conditions when unloading, grading, packing and load- 

 ing necessarily result in a loss of time. Room must also 

 be provided for the storage of packages. 



One of the most satisfactory houses in New Jersey is 

 arranged in the following manner: Large receiving 

 doors which open on the packing floor are located at one 

 end of the house 4 feet above the roadway. The packing 

 floor is 5^2 feet above the level of the loading drive, which 

 runs through the center of the house. Packages are 

 stored in the other end of the house and also in the loft 

 over the packing floor. 



The packing floor must be provided with tables of con- 

 venient height. These are used when grading, bunching, 

 tying and packing. Facilities for washing should be 

 given special attention. Ordinary washtubs are often 

 used, but they are not fully satisfactory. A large round 

 or rectangular tank made of wood and perhaps metal 

 lined, is used by many market gardeners. An abundance 

 of clean water is necessary for thorough washing and the 

 hose can often be used to advantage. The packing house 

 of a modern establishment is not complete without a 

 small office room, or at least a desk, and telephone connec- 

 tions with the markets if vegetables are to be sold locally. 



225. Preparation for market. After the vegetables are 

 received at the packing house several operations are 

 necessary before they can be ready for packing. Many 

 different classes of vegetables, as beets, carrots and other 

 root crops, are washed to remove any soil that adheres. 

 Water is used mainly for the sake of cleanliness, but it 

 has other values which deserve consideration. It gives 

 many vegetables a fresh, bright appearance and prevents 

 them from becoming wilted and withered before reach- 

 ing the market. Plumpness is also maintained, as is the 

 case when the green pods of peas and beans are immersed 



