Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1883-09-29
IRISH POTATOES.
Approved Plans Suggested for Keep
ing Them.

rations are necessary to enable you to
keep in sound condition the Irish pota-
to. The farmers Of Tennessee until
within few years past depended for
their winter supply upon a small plant
ing of some of the late varieties, such |
as Peachblow, Russell or Bruce red
the latter great yielder and good
keeper, originating in Tennessee, near
Nashville. These varieties as a rule
are planted on the Goth of June in the
latitude of Nashville and dug just after
frost. When they "hit" the yield is
enormous, frequently as many as 400
bushels per acre have been made, es-
pecially of the Bruce red variety; but
oftener they "miss." We have seen
this variety sell in the Nashville mar
ket at 20 cents per bushel, and at other
times at So. They are kept as easily
as corn. The amount demanded in
the city of Nashville for culinary pur-
poses, above what was produced in the
county up to 1879, was about 10000
barrels annually; these were brought
from the North. However, since the
introduction of the second crop, very
few are imported for that purpose.
The size and value of this second
crop with improved methods of culture
and increased production of the late
varieties have called for more care and
attention in keeping this crop. Many
growers use the common bank plan.
This is done by leveling a circular
spot not more than five feetin diameter;
begin to pile potatoes with centre grad
ually widening until you reach the
outer edge of the ground leveled off.
When finished you have round, cone
shaped pile. Cover lightly with straw.
Begin foot from the edge of the pos
tatoes and throw up about four inches
of dirt, until by September Is, not
later, be sure you have foot of dirt
over every part of the bank. Cover
this with loose boards, or low tempo
rary shelter, to conduct off the RAIN.
The removal of the dirt for covering
gives deep, wide ditch around your
potatoes, which conducts all the water
a foot from and below the base of your
pile.
The bank can be entered from the
side any mild weather during the win
ter; few bushels taken out and the
hole well filled with dirt.
This is the favorite way to keep tur-
nips, beets, or any of the root crops.
Sweet potatoes are successfully kept by
this plan, if for a few weeks an open
ing is left at the top for ventilation.
The rats and the colored brother near
the towns are so bad after this tuber
that it'srisky to leave sweet potatoes out.
If hole is made in the bank and care
lessly covered the first cold night "set-
ties the pile" If you have a large
quantity of Irish potatoes to store, the
rick plan is the best, which is as follows:
Clear off piece of ground not much
wider than five feet, any length desired,
slightly down grade is preferred. Be-
gin to pile from the center and fill Out
to the margin of the cleared land.
Make straw partitions one foot thick
every ten feet. These are rot checks
Work up the potatoes to a short ridge
and cover lightly with straw-this only
keeps the potatoes clean. Cover will
dirt, beginning at least foot from tn,
edge of your bank of potatoes. Cove
3 lightly at first, and gradually pile OIL
, the dirt until you get foot over tn,
, entire bank by December Is. Cove
with boards for shelter as with the con
banks, or nail two ten or twelve incl
, planks together, pig trough style, ant
place them on top of the bricks in
verted,
Don't do like some of our neighbors
who dig deep trenches, four feet wild
!, and two more feet deep, and fill th
trench full Of potatoes, and cover wit
dirt taken from the bitches a ditch
made around the pile, and the frs
heavy rain soaks through, filling tn
trench and running the potatoes.
In this climate, put your potatoe
" ohoya oround Ordinary cellars ar