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Show B i ' ' ' i I Storage of Potatoes I and Other Vegetables B x At the request of the director, Mr. H . Eugene H. Grub, the well-known po- B tato expert, has kindly furnished the H following valuable and practical' Bug- H gcstlons for the Information of the H 'grower of potatoes on reclamation H I projects: An exhaustive study of the potato B markets, coverinc a period of 10 B 3 i years, proves conclusively that the H farmer who has favorable conditions, H who practices intelligent methods in H potato growing, and who stores half H his crop, will show a nice annual B profit during a 10-year period. B Tho abnormal conditions now pre- B vailing all over tho world, which H i fsecm likely to continue for Beveral , years, predicate an unprecedented de-B de-B mand for food products of all kinds, H and to a greater degree than ever B before warrant tho assumption on the B part of the producer of uniform and B profitable returns. More than ever B beforo in our history we are con-B con-B ccrned In tho prevention of waste B and In the conservation of tho great-B great-B est possible quantities of food. H Thcso factH are recited briefly, be-H be-H causo throughout the potato growing B sections are found many farmers who B arc not convinced that storage is nd-B nd-B visablc, and who continuo to sell dl-H dl-H rect from tho field to the dealer, tak-k tak-k lng their chances on striking a favors' favor-s' able market. B It Is obvious that without adequate B and proper storage there is always B waste. With storage this waste is H largely preventable. H The storage of 'potatoes is not a H new science. It has been practiced H for many years, and from the experl- H euce of thoso who have successfully B practical it, certain fundamental H facts have been gathered and are B given herewith: B First. Potatoes can not be stored B successfully unless provision Is made H for the control of moisture and te-m- B perature, which can be accomplished H only through good ventilation under B control. B Second. To avoid loss only sound B tubers should be stored. Potatoes B skinned by rough handling, cut B frozen, or In n state of partial de- B cay should not be put In storage. Tho H various rots, decays, and fungi dl- B senses Immediately attack such vege- B tables and quickly spread to the rest. B ' Third. Potatoes should not bo B poured or run down a chute through B the roof or side of tho walls Into tho B bins below. B , Fourth. Storo only clean potatoes, H ns soil particles fill the spaces be- B twecn the potatoes, preventing the B free circulation of air and causing B heat and moisture with resulting rap- B Id decay and deterioration. B rifth. The potatoes kept for food B Bhould bo protected from strong B light, which causes them to turn B green and become bitter In taste. B Seed potatoes, however, are better B ir kept in the light, as the greening B destroys the various skin and germ B diseases. B Sixth. Wherever possible tho B farmer should store his crop on the H farm, as harvesting can then bo done B with sherfr hauls, greater economy H of labor an I t'me. The latter Is an H important fctcr If the season of har- H vest be shortened by Inclement wea- H ther. , Seventh. Home storage affords B opportunity for proper grading and Bj sorting, and obviates .the long return H haul from the shipping point of the Bj rejected potatoes. Tho unsalable po-Bj po-Bj totoes at tho present price of meat Bj animals have a value for food of Bf about $20 per ton. Bj Eighth. Where farms are of small Bj acreage, and two or more farmers In Bj close proximity are growing potatoes, Bj community storage can be economic-B economic-B ally constructed with capacity suf-BJj suf-BJj flclent for the needs or all at a cost K little greater than for the Individual M' plant. Community storage has a Bj further adnntago in making possi-Bj possi-Bj bio carload shipments Instead of 1, broken lots, and In securing better H, markets ami selling results. ; Ninth. The purchase of tho gradual grad-ual er and sorter for community use will i lessen cost and Insure Its more gen-1 gen-1 eral use. Tin Kind of Storage Hj 1'liuit to lluild. j In constructing the storage plant Bt the slto should bo selected with care. The location should be well drained, Bj and If poBslblo a knoll should be' B chosen. Tho plant should bo placed Ba so that advantage Is taken of the Bj prevailing currents of wind In the BJ district, tho opening being In lino Bl with .them, lly so doing- these Way Bl he utilised In controlling moisture H , and regulating temperature over all parts of the storage cellar. In the fall or spring, wnen the temperature of tho cellar tends to rise above 40 degrees In tho day , times and the outsldo night temperatures tempera-tures are lower than this, the cellar and ventilators should be left open in tho early morning, before daylight, to admit tho air and cool the cellar to a tempcralure not lower than 32 degrees. In the winter, when the temperature tempera-ture falls to near freezing point, advantage ad-vantage should be 'taken of the first warm day, shortly afternoon, to open up the cellar and admit tho. warm air, increasing the temperature to not more than 40 degrees. Thus in very cold weather try to hold the temperature to aboe 40 degrees de-grees and in warm weather try to hold it at about 32 degrees. The results will be somewhere between these extremes. Uniformity of temperature Is necessary nec-essary for safe storago during the long period from harvest until tho crop Is marketed or consumed, as rapid and excessive variation of temperatures tem-peratures hasten decay. The temperature tem-perature should be between 32 and 10 degrees F., and ns near 3G degrees de-grees as It Is possible to retain. Most vegetables are not injured by a tem-peraturo tem-peraturo of 30 degrees if not of long duration. Observations of temperature tempera-ture from at least two thermometers should be taken regularly and with special care and frequency during periods of extreme temperatures. The excavation should be from 3 to 5 feet In order that the cellar will be at least one-half underground. Such excavation will result In a saving sav-ing In walls and covering and render more easy the maintenance of an even temperature. Tho support of the roof should bp made with a framework of posts set 10 feet apart, 6 to 7 feet high, with plates of sufficient strength to support sup-port the rafters. Where timber from tho forest Is available the rafters can be placed close together, and a covering cover-ing of straw and earth will be sufficient suffici-ent for the roof. Where timber Is high priced chicken wire or woven fence wire can be fixed on tho rafters, raft-ers, which are placed from 8 to 2 i Inches apart, and the straw placed over the wire. Where obtainable, willow brush may bo laid on the rafters to prevent the straw from filtering through. Both brush and ' straw form good Insulators. Tho layer of straw Is from IS to 24 inches thick, and on top of this is placed a blanket of earth from C to 12 inches thick, depending upon the coarseness of the soil. When light sand soils only are nvallable, boards, shingles, or roofing paper can be used to cover roofs to prevent leakage. The angle of tho roof should ho 25 per cent pitch or more, as tho air space In the cone serves a necessory and Important function In conducting moisture and heat. Special consideration should bo given to the matter of constructing the doors. These can bo cheaply made of flooring five-eighths or three-fourths of an inch In thickness, with the Inside covered with building or tar paper fastened on with strips of lath. Tho ends of the collar should have bulkheads of from 2 to 5 or 8 feet apart to provide dead-air space. For storage houses with capacities ranging from 500 to 1000 bags, the passageway need no exceed G feot In width. A narrow track built of 2 by 4 timbers can be laid along tho center, cen-ter, on which a small car will run for transporting In and out. A car Is a great labor saver. Ventilation can be secured for small celHrs by an opening 3 by 4 feet at tho end opposite tho entrance If driveway Is used, ns In larger cellars, double doors, 5 by 8 feot Joined in tho center and swing on hinges, should bo provided. These can bo made of light flooring, tongued nnd grooved. Tho dead-alr space, if ample en-ough, en-ough, can be used for sorting and Backlnc the crop. In extremely cold weather coal-oll stoves can bo set up in these spaces to prevent freezing of stock. Ventilators should bo sot In the roof like a chimney, with hinged lids. These nro utilized in regulating the circulation of hot nnd cold air and In carrying off excess moisture and odors. Tho size of cellar constructed con-structed will, of course, depend upon the quantity to ho stored. One nnd one-third cubic feet of spaco is required re-quired for a bushel of potatoes. Whew there fa perfect drainage, Hbo- earth ii tho best floor for tho eellar, as it keeps th potato from shrinking nnd slimming. Theso storago cellars are useful also for onions and fruits, except that these should be placed on raised floors to present contnet with the moist earth. Killing tho Cellar. Potatoes aro often harvested when tho temperature in tho field is high. It is Important that tho tomperature of tho potatoes should bo reduced as quickly as possible afttr rtorlng. To accomplish this th potatoea should not ho placed more than ono foot in depth each day, nnd tho collar should be left open nights to admit cool air. Additional layers can bo built up each day until tho bins aro filled to a depth of from C to 7 feet. Whore entlro bins nro filled at ono tlmo it li difficult nnd often impossible to reduce re-duce tho temperature to tho proper point soon enough. Storing In 1'JU. While thousands of bushels of potatoes po-tatoes ar annually storsd in pits. experience has demonstrated that the practice should bo avoided wherever it is possible. Pits are not desirable, economical, nor permanent. Mols-turo Mols-turo and tomperaturo can not bo controlled con-trolled n them. Tho pits nro not accosslblo for supplies for tho homo tablo or for tho market In severe weather. Tho air spaco over tho vegetables veg-etables Is not sufficient to permit the, escape pf foul air, heat, or moisture. Turfed ventilation Is always lacking. Ths pits have to b ooasUxctsd an- "i S S S- SSSSMt r i i ii nually, and can not bo utilized to sort or sacking for shipment. Seed potatoes can not be stored In pits. Owing to inability to control vontllntlon, molsturo, and temperature, tempera-ture, disoaso Is dovolopod and vitality nnd gormlnntlon weakened. Do not storo vegetables under giving giv-ing rooms In tho homes. It Is unhealthy un-healthy and Insanitary and ,Ui8 wastage Is usually great.' 1 |
