The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-10-10
Harvesting Potatoes.
IChicagO Times.1

While great i'm provements have been made
IN harvesting almost all other crops prised
on the farm, most persons continue to dig
gather and store potatoes in the manner
practlced by their ancestors. Labor saving
machinery has done hut little in the matter
of harvesting potatoes Several diggers have
been introduced that do good work, but
many circumstances prevent their general
introduction. All of them are quite expens-
i've, and farmers who raise but small patches
of potatoes can not afford TO purchase them
Ii is difficult 10 construct a potato digger
that Will be adapted TO all kinds of soil One
that Is a great success in soil that is chiefly
composed of sand may prove to be COM
plete failure in soil that contains much
clay. No potato digger works well in
1t is hard to construct one
that will dig all kinds of potatoes equally
well. The tubers of some varieties are close
together in the HILL while those of Others are
widely scattered. Some are attached to the
stalks so strongly that they are generally
drawn up by them when they are pulled,
while Others remain in the ground Several
implements have been introduced during
the past few years that render the labor per-
formed more easy than when it was all done
with the common hoe. Among these i'm
plements are the pillow having rods attached
to the sides, the pronged hoe, and the dig
ging fork. Even with the aid of these a large
amount OF hard manual labor is required to
harvest crop of potatoes. Clean culture
during the growing season will always result
in greatly reducing the amount of work re-
qulred to harvest a crop of potatoes. The
greater the amount of weeds and grass in a
field OF potatoes the greater will be the labor
required to harvest the crop.
1t is not best to allow potatoes to remain
long in the ground after they are ripe They
should be dug before the heavy fall rains oc-
cur II the ground in which potatoes grew
becomes thoroughly soaked with water il is
difficult to dig and store the tubers so they
will be in a presenJable condition. Consider
able soil will remain on them and will iniure
their looks 1t will also be likely to cause
them TO decay. The tubers should be ex-
posed TO the sun as short a time as possible.
Ii they are quite damp when taken from the
ground, they should remain in the sun long
enough to become dry. Long exposure to
the light and heat of the sun INJURIES the po-
tatoes very greatly. If exposed sufficiently
long chemical change is produced that rem
ders them unht Tor use. Their color be-
comes changed to green, the starch
undergoes transformation, and the flesh
loses its crispness and fine flavor All
the fine qualities of potatoes are best pre-
served by placing the tubers in a place that
IS entirely dark as soon as they are taken
from the soil. If arrangements are made to
preserve the same amount of moisture they
had when they were in the place where they
grew, they may be kept for months and still
possess all the excellent qualities they had
when they were first dug. For family use it
Is recommended to place them in barrels and
cover the top with a thick turf of grass that
Will fit tightly The barrels should be put
IN cool cellar and raised few inches from
the ground. This arrangement will keep the
tubers cool, moist and in darkness and al
low a sufficient circulation of air among
them. 1t also prevents the tubers from
sprOuting 1t is well to preserve not only
eating but seed potatoes in this way III so
kept the eyes will be strong at planting time
in the spring.
1t is not practical to preserve large guam
titles OF potatoes in this way. An attem pt
should be made, however, to secure about
the same conditions in asimpler manner. A
good cellar is the best place for storing
potatoes. 1t should be rendered dark for the
reasons befoIe given. Its temperature should
be kept but little above the freezing point y
low temperature will cause the tubers u
freeze. when they are ruined. A tempera-
ture above fifty degrees will cause them to
sprOut and induce rotting. An average de-
gree of moisture is beneficial for keeping
potatoes. The air should not be so moist that
the water will collect on the surface of the
tubers- II II is very dry, the tabers will be
come Wllted or shTiyeled. will lose their crisp
ness and shrink in weight The loss in
weight IS often 25 per cent. between the time
OF digging IN the fall and the time of selling
in the spring Aspotatoes are now generally
sold by weight this loss is heavy
one for farmers. If the bottom of the cellar
is composed OF sand oris covered with cement
the potatoes may be placed directly on il. If,
however, there is any danger of water stand
ing on it even for a short time, il is advisable
to put the potatoes in bins slightly elevated
from the ground. Properly constructed bins
will keep the potatoes from coming in con
tact with water and allow a circulation of ali
through them. Board partitions should be
used to separate different varieties. 1t is not
advisable 10 put very small, scabby, deformed
cut bruised, or diseased potatoes in cellar
unless with view of keeping them to feed tC
stock during the winter. They should be
sorted from the good tubers at digging time
and fed to animals. Their presence with tho
marketable tubers will injure their appear