232 The Potato 



digging. This can be done by running a spike-toothed 

 harrow across the field lengthwise of the rows. It has 

 the added advantage of leveling off the ground where 

 the soil has been hilled up about the plants. 



Picking and sorting 



It is usually considered best to let the tubers dry on 

 the ground for two to six hours before picking them up. 

 This results in a drying and falling off of the excess dirt 

 and also toughens the skin and lessens its liability to in- 

 jury in handling. If the potatoes are left for too long a 

 time in the strong sunlight, they turn green and their 

 eating quality is injured. 



Potatoes are usually picked by hand into bushel baskets 

 or crates (see Plate XIV). Formerly it was the practice 

 to empty these containers into a wagon box and to cart 

 the potatoes to the storage, where they were shoveled 

 into boxes. This method of handling usually resulted in 

 considerable injury to the potatoes and greatly impaired 

 their keeping qualities. At present, potatoes are usually 

 hauled from the field in two-bushel bags, or in one-bushel 

 crates. 



Alva Agee ^ recommends the use of one-bushel boxes 

 for carting potatoes from the field. Such boxes, he says, 

 should be made of basswood or some other light wood 

 and should be of 2688 cubic inches capacity. These boxes 

 are best made 12i inches deep, 13i inches wide and 16 

 inches long. The sides and bottom should be f inch 

 thick and the ends i inch thick. The length of two such 

 boxes is about equal to the width of an ordinary wagon 

 bed. With high side-boards on the wagon, these can be 

 ' Penn. Dept. of Agr. Bui. 105. 



