164 
VEGETABLE GARDENING 
as soon as they are ripe or mature ; while others, as beets, 
may be left in the field for days or even weeks until 
market conditions become favorable, or until it is conven- 
ient to gather the crop. 
When harvesting garden crops, consideration should 
be given as far as possible to soil and weather conditions. 
Heavy soils are seriously injured if tramped or disturbed 
when wet. This difficulty, however, is often unavoidable. 
It may be much better, and certainly it is more comfoi t- 
able, to harvest crops in pleasant weather. Thousands 
of gardeners, however, go to market every day during the 
summer and the produce must be gathered regularly 
without regard to the character of the weather. 
Promptness is of the greatest importance in harvest- 
ing the most perishable crops. A day’s delay may result 
in heavy losses, especially in hot, sultry weather and in 
seasons when destructive frosts or freezes are likely to occur. 
The organization of the field force of men demands 
careful study. It is imperative to have an alert, tactful 
foreman who is thoroughly familiar with every detail 
of harvesting and well qualified to direct men. It is usu- 
ally possible to assign each laborer to one or two rows, 
and thus simplify the work of the foreman and place 
definite responsibility upon each person. If baskets are 
used, an ample supply should be kept close at hand, and 
when the force is large it may pay to have a boy look 
after this matter. He should see that an empty basket 
is within the reach of each picker the moment it is 
needed. Special roadways are necessary in collecting 
crops all of which are not harvested at one time. In 
some cases planting distances can be adjusted to make 
it possible for the wheels of the wagons to straddle a 
certain number of rows. With other crops the earliest 
maturing varieties may be planted on the strips wanted 
for roads. This ground will be almost if not entirely 
free when the later varieties are ready to harvest. 
