The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1869-10-15
EARN attS GarSttt.
PRESERVING POTATOES.

If grown in lime soil, or with some
8 fertilizer containing lime, as wood ASH
es, or some compost of which lime is q
part, in the hill, we have them in per-
, fection. What folly not to preserve
tlem in the same perfection, the year
round, or ut least till the next years
crop is ready to take their place, If this
can be done. But can i:? Yes.
How Look at an often-observed
fact, aud you will have the secret
When tu5er is left in the soil over
winter, if not too near the surface,
where it will freeze and thaw too many
times, it is always found, when plough
ed out in spring, in Il fine state o. pre-
servaiion-not wiltel-sound and as
hard as in autumn cracks open in boil
ing-has all the mealiness and fine fla
vor Of the previous October-in short,
has retained all its fine qualities uD-
changed from October TO May. 1t is
always so with tubers thus wintered, as
thousands have observed.
Now let us look at the attendant con-
ditions in which these tubers have been
so finally preserved. They were not
summed. Some think it well to let po-
tatoes lie under scathing September
or October sun five or six hours before
storing them. They could hardly do u
thing more calculated to hasten de-
teri0ration. Every moment of sunshine
on potatoes, when harvested, Injuries
them. They were not aired, tor, being
left in a soil compacted by the fall rains,
lit lie air could circulate among them.--
They were in total darkness ali winter.
They were moist by reason of the fall,
winter and spring rains and melting
SHOWS. They were cool, nearly to the
freezing point, and sometimes below it.
Fhey have then, GOODNESS, moisture,
darkness, little air and no sun as the
attending circumstances or condit ion of
their pertec. preservation. II this does
not teach us lesson, it is because we
are not quick to learn.
But there is another fact, tending to
the same conclusion. There are farm
ers who, for II long series ct years, have
practic5d as follows: dig their potatoes
late, carry them at once to the house,
dump them through side window into
the cellar, with all the soil that natural
ly attaches to them, and then let them
be till wanted for use, part of them as
late as the following June, taking care
to keep the cellar windows open fall
and spring, and to open them in mild
weather during the whole winter.
1t happens that those which fall near
the window retain most of the moist
soil that falls with them, and are almost
as completely imbedded Ill earth as are
the stray tubers left in the field till the
spring pioughing. Now If that portion
of the years stock which is thus imbed-
ded in the moist soil be left to the last,
these are found by many years expert
ence to remain fresh and geo |, hardly
at all wilted; eyes hardly sWelled till IA
hnIt tha tirlt pf .Innn This innlIac
cold and damp cellar; and when these
points can be obtained there is not the
least difficulty in perfect preservation
)f the potato till as late as from the 1st
10 the 18th of June. The condition, II
we look at them, will be found to be
nearly the same as in the other case
10 sun, little air, Httle light, moisture,
,oolness.
Now it cannot be necessary to de-
cribe minu.ely how these conditions
AN be secured, for the potatoes you
would preserve, in all their autumnat
Tor spring ard summer use.
Let every one devise the best method
o. his own case. One who has a cool,
lamp cellar, so fitted with windows that
lie can easily keep the temperature low
t all seasons, may hEd that the best
,lace to pack away potatoes for spi ing
,etter, in his case, to bury them, mixed
With moist soil, in the earth. By throw
ng an extra quantity Of straw over
hem in winter, and-so covering them
With straw or cbatf that the sun will not
haw it till late, he may preserve tiiem
lmost at plersure; tor so long as the
round in which they are imbedded is
ept cold, they will neither grow nor
tilt, nor will they lose any of the fine
ialities they had the previous autumn.
the potato hole were on the north
de of building, or il a temporary
tructure qf rough boards were placed
yer it to Keep OIL the sun, either of
lese would De help. | VIII only add
lat if those who have II fine crop OF po-
ltoes will devise some way to protect
hem from tire sun, air and light, from
he moment they are dug, and to keep
S many of them us are designed for
pring ard summer use cool and moist
ii the day they are TO be cooked. "they
ill tihd their account in it."-Prof. j.
!. Nash.