216 



The Sweet Potato 



FratJEE 34. — Barrel pack com- 

 monly used for shipping sweet po- 

 tatoes from Norfolk, Virginia. 



heavy produce. Many 

 barrels are still set up 

 in the factory and 

 shipped or hauled to 

 the place where used. 

 This, of course, re- 

 quires a considerable 

 outlay for freight or 

 drayage, as nearly as 

 many full barrels can 

 be hauled as empty 

 ones. In this respect 

 folding crates or bas- 

 kets that can be 

 produced in telescope 

 fashion have an important advantage over the barrel. 

 As it requires a comparatively large outlay of cash to 

 equip a shop for setting up standard barrels, a number 

 of cooper shops have been established throughout the 

 east central sweet potato growing area. Due to the in- 

 creased scarcity of board and the high cost of labor, re- 

 cent prices have been almost prohibitive and even in the 

 Atlantic Coast sections, other containers are gradually 

 replacing the barrel. A standard sweet potato barrel 

 should have the following specifications : 



inches 



Length of stave 28% 



Diameter of heads , 17^8 



Diameter between heads 26 



Circumference of bulge (outside measure- 

 ments) 64 



Thickness of staves, not greater than %q 



" Provided that any barrel of a different form having a 



