Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1869-10-15
PRESERVING POTATOES.

If grown in lime soil, or with some
fertilizer containing lime, as wood ashes,
or some compost Of which lime is a
part, in the hill, We have them in per
recticn. What folly not to preserve
them in the same perfection, the year
round, or at lea't till the next year 8
crop is ready to take their place, if this
eau be done. But eau it !? Yes.
Howl Look at an often observed
fa,t and you will have the SO ct. Whtn
uuoer is left in the soil over winter,
If not too near the surface, where il
will freeze aud thaw too many times, il,
is always found, when pioughed out 10
sprng, in fine state of reservation
not wiltod-souud aud as hnrl as 10
autumn cracks open in boiling--has
all the meanliness aud fine favor Of the
previous October-in short, has retained
all its fiuc qualities unchanged from
October to May. IL is always so with
tubers thus wintered, as thousands have
observed. esd A
Now let Us look at the attendant con.
di,ions in which these tubers have been
so 6ually preserved. They were not
stunned. Some think IL well 30 let po-
tatoes lie under scathiug September or
q October sun five or SIX hours before
storing them. They could hardly do a
thing more calculated to hasten de-
terioration. Every moment Of sunshine
on potatoes, when harvested, Injuries
them. They were not aired, for, being
left 10 soil compacted by the fall rains,
little air could circulate among them.
They we're in total darkness all winter.
They were moist by reason of the fall,
winter and spring rains aud melting
SHOWS. They were COOL nearly to tue
freezing point, and sometimes below it,.
They have thea. aoooiaess, moisture,
darkness, little air aud no SUI as the at.
tending Circumstances or condition Of
their perfect preservation II THIS does
not teach US a lesson, it is because we
aro not quick to learn.
But there is another, fact tending to
the same conclusion. There are far.
mcrs who, Tor long series of years,
have pFacticcd as follows: dig their po'
tatoes late, carry them at once to tbs
house, dump them through side wio-
dow into the cellar. with all the soil
that naturally atinehes to them, and
then let them be till wanted for use, O
part OF them as late as the following
june taking care to keep the windows
open ia I and spring, aud to open then
in mild weather during the whole win
ter. f|itts
1t happens that those which fall near
the window retain most Of the mois
soil that falls with them, aud are almos
as completely imbedded ia earth as arr
the stray tubcrs left in the 6eld ill th'
spring ploughing Nov Il thatlportioI
~ of the years stock which Is thus I'm
hsddsd 10 the moist soil DO left to tn,
D last, these are found by macy years
experience to remain fresh and good
!, hardly at all wilted; eyes hardly swell
led till about the FIRST Of june
This implies cold aud damp cellar
aud when these points can be obiaine,
there is not the least difficulty in per
fect preservation Of the potato till a
from the iirstto the 10Th Of June. Tn
condition, il We look at them, will b
found to DO nearly the same as in tn
other case, no sun. little air, little light
light, moisture, GOODNESS.
IL tho potato hole were on the mort
side Of building, or il structure {
rough boards we're placed over Il /
keep on the sun, either Of theso voul
he help. will ouly add that if tho.
who have a hne crop Of l.ota;oes Nj
devise some way TO protect them fro
the sun. air, aud light, from the m
men, they are dug, aud to keep as mar
o. them ~ are designed for spring al