News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-10-26
HARVESTING AND STORING Pc
TATOES.

clean. Some cultivatOrs there are VINO
still cling to the old practice of leaving
potatoes in the ground until after the
first frosts and the vines are dead. The
larger class, however, harvest this cror
as soon as the tops have ceased to grow
and when the vines begin to wither.
The best plan, as rule, is to harvest
the potato crop directly after the tubers
are we'll ripened, unless there are lndl'
cations of continued warm weather, IL
which case they are liable to become
damaged if stored. Another exception
to the rule suggested is made when there
is rot to contend with; then many
growers prefer to let the disease run 1ts
course under ground, believing that ex
posure to the light increases the disease
in the affected tubers and tends tc
spread it to the sound ones. Ii rot ap
pears after harvest the sound potatoes
are carefully separated from the dis
eased ones, placed in layers, and Gov
cred with burned clay, ashes or Other
absorbent to prevent contagion from
any that may be imperceptibly affected
Before final bulking it is sometimes
necessary to sort the potatoes again,
but all unnecessary handling should be
avoided after January l, as some varie
ties are liable, to sprout from that date
forward.
Potatoes should be put in a cool DARK
place as soon as practicable after har.
vesting, for they are liable to injury by
exposure to either light or warmth.
Some cultivators take potatoes imme
diately from the field to the place Of
storing. This plan is safe one only
when the tubers have come out of the
ground in good condition where there
are the slightest indications of rot, or il
the potatoes were harvested in damp
weather, the plan is to be avoided. A
better one is that of spreading the roots
on the barn floor in lathed bins, OF
other cool place out of the sun, until
time for final storing.
There are three methods of storing in
general use, each of which has its merits
and its champions. These are storing
in barrels, bins, heaps or pits. The
same general principles underlie these
several methods, viz. Protection
against frosts and changes of tempe-a.
ture, freedom from moisture and avoid.
ance of heating caused by storing too
deep. The advantages claimed for stor,
ing in barrels are that the roots are
easily handled, do not suffer from abra-
sion, can be easily examined, and if dis
ease appears 1t can be readily checked
or removed. The chief objection to this
method is the time and expense involved
when the crop is large one.
Bins are coming largely into use,
especially in localities near large cities,
for the potatoes can at any time be
readily reached and prepared for mar
ket. A cool, dry, well-ventilated cellar,
with the light excluded, is an admirable
place in which to store potatoes. The
argument i'll favor of storing potatoes
under ground is that there is little if any
loss by evaporation. Objections to the
plan are the labor involved in opening
the banks when, the roots are required
and the risk involved from the extremes
of too close or insufficient covering.
When pits are employed it is important
that arrangement be made for ventila-
ton.
When stored in cellars, barns or root
houses it is a safe plan not to fill the
bins with roots to a depth exceeding
three or four feet. 1t has been claimed
that lime sprinkled in barrels or bins
at the rate say of one pound to each
barrel, tends to prevent decay by acting
as an absorbent and neutralizing the
earthly odors. The Importance of ex-
Guiding light from potatoes and keeping
them as cool as possible without freez-
ing cannot be over estimated.
Mr.. E. W. Cornell, Clinton Corners,
N. Y, gives to The Duchess Farmer
suggestions about transplanting trees
in winter, useful method when time
is a matter of Importance, or where the
immediate securing of large specimens
for the lawn is especially desired:
"When properly done, the holes
should, of course, be dug when the
ground is not frozen, and the soil placed
IN compact heap, and covered on the
south of the hilicck with some coarse
litter from the horse stable, to keep a
portion of the soil from freezing, which
will give the planter access at any time
during the winter. Sufficient loose soil
to pack about the ball of earth will be
taken up with the tree, which will be
nearly sufficient of itself to fill the re-
ceptacle, and the dressing will be just
where wanted to spread about the tree
for winter protection, and for immediate
nourishment in the spring. Experience
has taught me that it is highly needful
to furnish some fertilizer for all trans
planted trees at the time of removal. In
balling out trees, it is not advisable to
wait until the ground is frozen hard, as
is often done, which greatly increases
the labor and expense.
at is only necessary to dig narrow
trench about the tree, which may be
quite near the trunk; the soil being
damp will be held by the many fbroua
roots from falling into the trench, which
,bo,,Il La Jao,o or, o11rh for oy,+t;,,o. 4 o,r,,
through the horizontal roots, which,
with most trees, will require depth OF
from fifteen to twenty inches, laying
bare the top roots. Having dug about
all the trees in like manner, all you have
to do is to wait until the ball of earth is
frozen, when you have only to chop off
the main perpendicular root, and, with
the trunk for lever, two men can read
lily load upon stoneboat or sleigh, a
tree, with ball of earth attached, as
heavy as team can haul. When ar.
rived at the place of setting, drive the
boat or sleigh upon the heap of soil in
such q manner that it will incline toward
the pit, and in q moment you may slide
the tree to its appointed place.
"Tramp some of the soil from under
the dressing around the ball of earth;
put the litter about it, and the work is
done much better than it could be at
any other season of the year, for the
multitude of fbrous roots in the ball OF
earth preserve the tree from any check
until the larger roots can throw out q
colony from the points where they were
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