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Show FARM STORAGE IS VITAL NEED Dug-out Beats Speculator and Avoids Loss Due to Car Shortage BY R. R. BENNETT. Field Horticulturist, University of Idaho Ida-ho Extension Division. Many growers of fruits and potatoes are ling these days In dread of a car shortage this fall. Basing our Judgment Judg-ment on the best Information we can ohrnln, and the experience of last year, they are justified ln 'their fear of inadequate shipping facilities again this season. If we analyze the whole situation I we can readily 6ce that car shortages arc always sure to occur each year 1 thru brings with It a full crop of fruit and potatoes In the western .slates Not ill Of the fruit nor all of th potatoes surely not all of both of these crops can bo put on the market at the same time A certain percentage of them must be held ln storage somewhere some-where during at least a part of the season There may be sufficient storage ca-paeity ca-paeity in trie elites or .-, t loading points. but this Ls not always accessible and I It Is. as a asual thing, owned by the . er rather than bj th grower l"r:i'e. even I hough warehouses are nifty lent In capacity, the problem of storage for the grower is not soUcd. M UTERI Y OF SPECULATOR, The grower of either apples or po-i po-i i Who has no storage is frequent ly at the mercy of the speculator. Re-i Re-i ntly we have come ln contact with icvcral growors of potatoes who have I . i .n f r.i rted e.t ten u a part of their crop for September delivery at a low price because of a fear of car shortage. An el'fic.ent storage house would make these men Independent of the buyer and beyond the danger of losing their crop through a car shortage, or by frost In tho fall. The dug-out costs the least per unit of capacity of any building on the farm, It is the most convenient and useful building on the farm, and if properly built it will preserve fruit and potatoes better than any frame warehouse. It Is made of soil soil floor, soil 1 roof, and may be made with soil sides. The poll construction Is not entirely a matter of economy Dry' soli Is one I of the net non-conductors of heat, and It is a good absorbant of mols-turt mols-turt or gas. Vnderground, the hu-mldlt hu-mldlt is practically uniform throughout through-out the year, which Is another item of Importance in the keeping of fruit and potatoes. ON" BUILDING DUG-OUT. The dug-out should be constructed either on revel ground or through fl ridge; but not Into a bank Three or three and one half feet Is deep enough for the excavation. Thlrty-slx feet !a n satisfactory width, providing room for two lL'-fooi bins and a 12-fool dlivewa Any length may be used, though we do nui advise more than L'OO-feet. There snould be driveway-doors driveway-doors at each end. The ends are best mads of concrete or stone walls, which should extend into the approaches. EJse strong timbers for all parts, purlins and rarters. Posts should be not less than eight Inches square, or eight inches In diameter at the small end If round timbers are used If round rafters are used, four Inches should be the minimum diameter at the small end. Ratters 2x12 arc none too heavy If sawed lumber is used Flf-Le Flf-Le li-inch centers are none too close for rafters. Ventilators may be made to suit the fancy of the owner, if the cellar is not too long, the doors, are about the only opening necessary '.o give perfect ir nidation. The vt.uilators should be tonde in such a way that light may be admitted through them when desired. de-sired. GREATEST NEED OS FARM The .storage cellar ls an Important part of the farm building equipment. It need not be expensive, but to be efficient ef-ficient It must conrorm to the principles princi-ples of construction mentioned. It is made of earth, straw and timber. It Is essentially below ground It Is frost proof in the winter ana cool In the! summer. There should be one on every farm ln the arid west Details of construction con-struction may be obtalnea from the extension division of the University of Idaho, at Boise. It is not too soon now to make plans and construct the cellar If It Is to be ready to hold the apple or potato crop this coming fall. It Is now the greatest great-est need on our fruit and potato farms. |