34 



THE DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 



PICKING, SORTING, AND GRADING. 



Potatoes should be left on the ground to dry, if necessary, before picking up is 

 commenced, but not long enough to get sunburnt. Potatoes are conveniently picked 

 up into bushel baskets and then these are emptied into sacks. Two men should work 

 together to accomplish quickest and best results (Fig. 28). 



Fig. 28. Picking up potatoes near Chilliwack, B.C. (photo by A. Ingrams). 



When the weather will permit, potatoes may be sorted in the field; however, 

 rather than take chances and in order to do more careful sorting, it is preferable 

 to do the sorting inside, especially in the case of potatoes for seed. 



Potatoes may be run through a potato-grader (Fig. 29). The size required to 

 sort depends on the market demand. While the potatoes are going over the sorter, 



diseased, irregular, and other undesirable 

 tubers can be picked out. When a potato- 

 grader is not available sorting may be 

 done by hand. This method is slow, but 

 satisfactory. All potatoes should be sorted 

 before being permanently stored for 

 winter. 



There are several kinds of potato- 

 graders on the market at the present time 

 which do good work. 



STORAGE. 



In storing potatoes, whether for seed or 

 for table stock, it is important to store 

 only sound, clean, dry potatoes and to 

 keep them in dry, cool; dark, and well- 

 ventilated houses. Great losses occur 

 annually because potatoes are stored in 

 wet, poorly ventilated buildings. 

 Storage of Seed-potatoes. The chief consideration and the determining factor 



of success as against failure for the potato-seed grower is the problem of storage. 



It is essentially an important factor with the grower who practises careful selection 



from year to year, because he must preserve his stock 'in the very best possible 



condition. 



Fig. 29. A potato-sorter (courtesy 

 of Aspinwall Canadian Machinery 

 Company). 



