Rocky Mountain husbandman., 1878-09-12

IS not so intch necessity Tor This care IN ufy-
ing. Hundreds of Bushels are often taken
;.t once from the tielst'to the cellar without
any damage whatever resulting and it is
only in view of the possibility of rot that
we think it advisable to take the extra pre-
caution in drying. Itis we'll to note that a
cool shed is best to dry them in, as the tu-
bers will otherwise absorb more heat than
when they come out Of the ground; and
this is what we try to AVOID.
There is one disadvantage i'll drying pota-
toes in this way, which is always more or
less connected with dry cellars, namely, the
great loss from shrinkage which results. In
an average dry cellar there is often as much
as a loss of twenty per cent IN bulk from
shrinkage. Thus, one hundred bushels
stored away in place like this in winter,
will give Tut eighty when taken out for sale
in spring. This is often rs much, and some-'
times more, tina II the advance i'll spring over
fall prices, and is an argument often used
to induce growers to sell their crop us soon
ar taken up, instead of keeping them tor the
spring rise. But this loss can be wholly
avoided and the roots kept in excellent con-
dition by carefully storing IN the open ground.
dry place is to he selected, where the wa
ter can run easily away, and the potatoes
laid up in long harrow ridges, say about
four feet wide and as long as the quantity
to be protected demaiftis. After the whole
has been collected togsther, thin layer of
straw, only thick enou.htu keep the earth
| from falling in among the potatoes. Is to be
put along the sides and over the tubers, and
II thin layer of soil. just enough to'heep the
straw in place. is thrown over. ltsais best
not to throw more earth than this'over at
first, as the natural heat of the potatoes will
accumulate. while itsis the object to let 1t
pass rapidly away. AS >soon as there Is
danger Of frost then the potatoes should be
covered thickfy with soil as the frost Is GER
tai,r to penetrate. In this Why the paiatoes
are preserved ut IL temperature bth little
above the freezing point, and thus guarded
against heating much, and ut the same time
there As little loss from evaporation ia great
point gained when the bushel measure Is
brought out in spring.
The great objection to this old-tasaiioned
and excellent plan is that we'cannot get ut
them we'll in the winter season; but we are
only recommending it whereS they are re-
quired to be kept over till spring. Where
!, they are needed before that time, ceffar l.
.sba.nost indispensiblea Another objection l.
s 1he extra, labor wIHch open-ar banking
takes. Perhaps the saving of ten or twenty
per cent may be IL fair set off to this; but al
any rate those who have good root-cellar'
will generally run the risk in preference te
the labor of the OPEN ground. But we have
f referred to the excellence OF the plan be
cause some have no good Sroot-cellars, ant
others who have may yet fear'rot anti By
GLAD to take the best precautions to glarl
i against accident.
Only those, however, w'i.ch are apparent
: ,yssound should be chosentor lhe~ont-doo
7 practice. for those Which are certiriniy dis
e easc,l will be better preserved by sii occ;.
sional sorting over during the winter season
= = POETRY IN TIE -HAYFIEBD.e"
! Look ut that man! He stands firm as
s rock, sleeycsrolled p,Mshirt collar turned
) tback. face and hands as brown asshe eartl
n sbeneath his feet, and probably there is no
s one dry thread i'll the garments he has Oh
) |~.,ll thoroughly wet with the presplratlo
s that issues through every pore OF MS wei