Connecticut western news., 1882-10-11
HARVESTING AND STORING PO-
 TATOES.

TATOES.
 Potatoes should be lifted from the ground in cool, clear weather, when the soil is dry and the roots will come out clean. Some cultivators there are who 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 crop 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 indi- cations of continued warm weather, in 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 it's course under ground, believing that ex- posture to the light increases the disease in the affected tubers and tends to spread it to the sound ones. If 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 1, as some varie- ties are liable to sprout from that date forward.
 Potatoes should be put in 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 oi storing. This plan is a 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 daml weather, the plan is to be avoided. A better one is that of spreading the roots on the barn floor in lathed bins, ol other cool place out of the sun, unti time for final storing.
 There are three methods of storing il general use, each of which has it's merit
 and it's champions. These are storins
 in barrels, bins, heaps or pits. Tn,
 same general principles underlie thes l So,
 against frosts and changes of tempera
 ture, freedom from moisture and avoid ance of heating caused by storing to- deep. The advantages claimed for stor ing in barrels are that the roots ar easily handled, do not suffer from abra sion, can be easily examined, and if dis
 ease appears 1t can be readily checke or removed. The chief objection to thi method is the time and expense involve when the crop is a large one.
 Bins are coming largely into use especially in localities near large cities for the potatoes can at any time l. , readily reached and prepared for mal ket. A cool, dry, well-ventilated celia with the light excluded, is an admirab . place in which to store potatoes. TIT
 argument i'll favor of storing potatoe
 under ground is that there is little if an , loss by evaporation. Objections to tI , plan are the labor involved in openin
 the banks when the roots are require
 and the risk involved from the extreme :. of too close or insufficient coverin, When pits are employed it is importal
 that arrangement be made for ventil, tion.
 When stored in cellars, barns or roo
 houses it is safe plan not to fill tl
 bins with roots to depth exceedir
 three or four feet. It has been elaine that lime sprinkled in barrels or bil < at the rate say of one pound to eae . barrel, tends to prevent decay by acti1 < as an absorbent and neutralizing u : earthy odors. The importance of e. cluding light from potatoes and keepi1
 them as cool as possible without free : ing cannot be over estimated.