212 VEGETABLE GROWING. 



HARVESTING. 



The time to harvest depends on the condition of the 

 market. Usually the earliest crop brings the best re- 

 turns ; very early potatoes never fail to sell well. The 

 marketing is done in ordinary crates. This is a staple 

 crop, so it is not necessary to 'pay much attention to 

 fine stencils and nice crates. The crates that are too 

 dark for most vegetables may be employed, the buyers 

 pay more attention to the product offered for sale than 

 the style in which it comes. 



It is not profitable to raise large quantities for the 

 local market, unless one is engaged in the general veg- 

 etable business. The hotels throughout the South con- 

 sume a considerable quantity, and their trade is worth 

 soliciting. The time of harvesting is determined by 

 the condition of the tuber ; if the skin peels off easily, 

 they will not carry to a distant market, and be in pre- 

 sentable condition. 



During the time that the crop brings a fancy price it 

 will pay to dig them by hand with a fork, but when 

 the profits are small and the crops large it will be found 

 more profitable to use horse power. A favorite way 

 is to plow them out with a common two horse turning 

 plow, and then have the hands gather those in sight 

 and to work the hills over as they are found. A more 

 successful method is to use a potato digger. A cheap 

 form is simply a large bull tongue plow with iron rods 

 projecting back to separate the potatoes and the soil. 

 The machine is simple, but saves much labor and does 

 efficient work. There are also much more elaborate ma- 

 chines, that dig and elevate the potatoes to a wagon at 

 once, thus reducing the labor to a minimum, but these 

 are not operated easily unless the land has been well 

 cleared. 



