Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1885-04-10
POTATOES.
A Discussion of Points of Interest Re
specting this Esculent.

"A DISCUSSION OF POINTS OF Interest Re-
specting this Esculent.
With many it is question when the
potatoes ripen, which is the better plan
to dig as soon as they are thoroughly
ripe or wait until late in the fall, when
it is desirable to dig and store away.
Fly rule has always been to dig when
they are ripe. 1t always seemed to me
there was less risk in having the pota-
toes out of the ground than in allowing
them to remain in the ground. After
the potatoes are ripe shower of rain
will cause them to sprout and start to
make second growth, and the whole
crop is injured, or they are liable to rot
in the ground, and be injured by worms
or other vermin. If pains are taken to
dig and store away in proper manner,
there is very little danger of losing
any of the crop. They should be thor
oughly ripe before digging and then
be thoroughly dried before storing
away. Then care should be taken not
to put in too large piles, causing them
TO heat and rot. In digging | find it
SoDo pan w 5oll udNluS DOAes
or baskets to throw them into as fast as
they are dug; this always seemed 10 be
the easiest way of avoiding handling.
l never like to have potatoes lie out in
the hot sun any longer than possible
The rays OF the sun shining directly
upon them Injuries them very rapidly.
When dug early, and it is desired to
keep them, they should be dried thor
oughly in the shade and then stored in
a dry loft where there is as free circu-
lation of air as possible. As l said be-
fore, my plan is always to pick out my
seed potatoes when digging. Late po-
tatoes can be dug and dried thoroughly
and then stored away, excepting what
is designed to be marketed are sold
soon. prefer putting away in pits as
they keep much fresher and better than
when stored in the cellar. If stored in
the cellar they should be dried thorough
ly and then put in either boxes or bins.
They should be raised few inches
above the bottom of the cellar. and
stand few inches from the wall. In
extreme cold weather covering of
straw over the top will help cons der
ably in keeping them from freezing.
In pitting potatoes location should
be selected that can be easily well
drained. If small number of bushels
only is to be put in apt small pit is the
best, but if quite number of bushels is
put together long pit is best pre-
fer to dig out very little ON account of
the risk of water seeping in. / put ON
light layer of clean dry straw or leaves,
pile up the potatoes as evenly as possible,
on all sides, and then cover with thin
layer of straw sufficiently to keep the
soil from getting down among the
potatoes. Commence covering at the
base of the pile and cover at least
eighteen inches thick. By commencing
at the bottom all around and working
up evenly all around the work can be
done much better than any other plan /
have tried. And this too is the surest
| plan of securing an uniform depth, or
| covering. 1t is well enough to level q
hole in the top to admit of ventilation
until later in the fall, when before cold,
freezing weather sets in the straw can
be taken out and the hole filled up with
soil. Before the severe weather sets in
too cold it is good plan TO have either
| straw or coarse manure and cover well
all over. Hstraw is used poles or boards
should be laid on top to keep the wind
from blowing it away. find this adj
ditional covering great help in keep
ing out the frost.
| Whether il is better to put away and
save until spring or sell in the fall is a
hard question to determine. This must.
of course, depend upon the supply and
demand, and at best is only guess-work.
My rule has always been to be sure and
save plenty for seed and for use in the
family, preferring to have a few more
than needed than not sufficient, and
then sell the balance when they were
ready for market, unless the price was
very low and have good reasons for
believing they would be considerable
higher in tho spring. Keeping them
over Is always more or less risky, and ]
always thought the farmer should be
| paid for running this risk. And to Sc
cure this, pay the interest on the money
and the expense OF putting them away
and taking out in the spring. would re.
quire considerable advance, more thar
is often realized.--M j. SHEPPARD, il
Harrington HaDksye'