LEADING VEGETABLE CROPS 209 



greater or lesser extent, but unfortunately, from a 

 successful market standpoint, in all too many cases* 

 this work is either poorly done or sadly neglected. 

 Potatoes are graded in various ways into more or 

 less loosely defined grades. The small grower 

 usually grades his crop in the field, as it is picked 

 from the ground. Extensive growers use mechan- 

 ical devices of various types made and sold 

 by the manufacturers of potato machinery every- 

 where. When the crop is to be stored it is a com- 

 mon practice to gather in crates and haul to the 

 storage, where it is run over the grader. When the 

 crop is being sold directly from the field, the graders 

 are usually mounted in such a way that they may 

 be hauled along to receive the tubers from the 

 pickers. 



The late potatoes are marketed in a very different 

 way from those in common practice with the 

 early crop. If the crop has been allowed to 

 properly mature and has been kept free from 

 the late blight by frequent sprayings, it usually 

 can be stored without difficulty, where ordinary 

 care in handling has been practiced. The relative 

 advantage of selling direct from the field or storing 

 for later markets and possibly higher prices, depends 

 upon a number of factors often either overlooked or 

 at least not given the consideration their importance 

 justifies. The expense of handling is at least 

 doubled over that necessary in direct selling. The 

 added cost of storage equipment is an important 

 consideration to be kept in mind, and the possible, 

 even probable, losses from shrinkage, freezing and rot 

 are larger than most people think. Forty cents a 

 bushel at digging time will probably return as much 

 profit as 75 cents a bushel April ist. Many condi- 



