The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1883-07-12
Harvesting and Storing Potatoes.

Potatoes should be lifted from the
ground in cool, clear weather, when the
soil is dry and the roots will come out
clean. Some cultiyators 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
rs soon as the tops have ceased to grow
and when the vines begin to wither.
The best plan, as a rule, is TO harvest
the potato crop directly af,er the tubers
are well 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 its
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 separ ted from the dis
eased ones, placed in layers and COW
cred with burnt clay, ashes, or other
absorbent, to prevent eontagion from
any that may be imperceptibly affected.
Before final bulking it is necessary to
sort the potatoes again, but all unneces-
sary handling should be avoided after
January /, as some varieties are liable
to sprout from that date forward.
Potatoes should be put in cool,
dark place, as soon as practicable after
harvesting, for they are liable to injury
by exposure to either light or warmth.
Some cultiVators take potatoes immedi-
ately from the field to the place of stor-
ing. 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 if the po-
tatoes 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, or 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 tempera-
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 it 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, es-
pecially in localities near large cities,
for the potatoes can at any time be read
lily reached and prepared for market.
A cool, dry, well-ventilated cellar, with
the light excluded, is an admirable
place in which to store potatoes. The
argument in favor of storing potatoes
under ground is that there is little II
any loss by evaporation. Objections to
the plan are the labor involved in open
ing the banks when the roots are re-
quired and the risk involved. from the
extremes OF too close or insufficient GOV.
ering. When pits are employed it i:
important that arrangement be made
for ventilat on.
When stored in cellars, barns or root
houses it is a safe plan not to fill the
bins with roots to depth exceeding
three or four feet 1t has been claimed
that lime sprinkled in barrels or bins al
at the rate say of one pound to eacE
barrel, tends to prevent decay by acting
as an absorbent and neutralizing thu
earthly odors. The Importance Of ex
GLIDING light from potatoes and keeping
them as cool as possible, without freea
ing, cannot be oyerestimated. IN Y
World.