Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1869-10-07
agricultural

STORING PorAroEs.-As most farmers
follow their potato crop with winter grain
It Is necessary that they should all be dug
as early in this month a. possible, and as
at this hurried season but few comparative
ly, can be marketed Is soon as dug, the
consider alton Of the best places for and
manner Of storing them demands our atten-
ton Where thev can certainly be sold be-
fore severe freezing weather, 1t is general
ly much easier to store them on barn floor
or in some other out-bnilding. but In that
case they sh ould be protected from the
light BY q covering OF boards or old car
pet, or they will be injured by the expos
ure.
If they are to he stored in a cellar. II
must be either naturally or made so by pro-
per drainage. The potatoes ougst also to
be dry when put into Il. that is, they should
lay for an hour or two. at least. after dig
ging before they are csrted TO the cellar.
II makes them Gle amer of course. to knock
all the dirt Off OF them when picking them
up, and keep that which settles to the wag
on foor from going in with them; hnt they
will keep better ia the bin. If these precau-
tions are not taken. and 8 considerable OF
dry earth is allowed to 20 in with them.
II Is the general practice to dump potA-
toes upon the floor and against the sides
Of the cellar with nothing between them
and the damp walls They will undouht-
edly keep better and be less liable to decay
If wooden bins are provided to raise them
few inches from the floor and remov,
them from the walls OF the cellar. Wher,
one is troubled with POTATOES rotting in tn.
hin it would be well to try this method.
There are many applications recommend
ed 10 be made to potatoes at the time o
storing In the bin to prevent decay Among
these may be mentioned that OF lime. ont
bushel to every 80 of potatoes, sprinkle'
on every or inches in depth OF the bin
which. It is said, win keep them round an,
fresh for two wears. but for the truth o
this cannot vouch. Two quarts OF sal
sprinkled on for every three bushels q
potatoes is also recommended as a proven
tive OF rot. and another method j. TO du>
with mixture one fourth Stacked lime anC
three foarths ashes.
In some cases IL i necessary To bur,
them in outdoor pits and FOR these IN
dryest situation obtAiuablc should be 80
lected. and unless well drained by nature
drain should ne constructed all around
the pit at distance ofone or two feet from
the outside. TO give space for covering
the potatoes. and foot lower than III
bottom or they NAV DE dug just AT tn
sides and filed with stones. etc. The ri
Is best dug one foot in depth. from four t.
six wide. and a. long a. may be required
with occasional partitions o. earth ahou
one foot In thickness across IT, Amer ihi
had been filled and the potatoes piled up i
an A shaped ridge upon II. 1t should be COY
cred with straw about one FOO; In thick
ness and over thi. a roof Of old boards
Upon the approach Of hard freezing wealth
or thew viii need a covering OF earth thicl
enough 10 exclude all frost. taking car
however 10 provide vcntilAiors by hiring
ing the straw up through the earth At I'm
tcrvals along the ridge. Thi> NAV no; b.
necessary. however. II they have been II
the pit long enough Ia get over the sweat
ing process before covering % earth o
required II these pits are properly con
Structed the potatoes will keep well -
better than In the cellar. the only objection
10 them being the amount OF labor requir
ell 10 build them.