The Atlanta constitution., 1900-04-09
Keeping Sweet Potatoes.

G. Thompson, Cameron. y. C.-I have
lost my sweet potatoes by rot for the
last three years and | write to YOU now
for some Information. which you will
please nubIish in The Constitution.
store my potatoes IN house built Tor the
purpose by planking up inside and outside
of a frame. leaving space of eight inches
between. which Is filled with SaWduSt. l
also cover the tOD with sawdust. but
leave an opening near the middle for ven
tilation. which / close in very cold
weather The first crop which / lost was
planted on old sandy land which never
had potatoes on il before after crop o.
peas. which crop was manured with acid
phosphate and potash and the peavineS
left on the ground. The potatoes We're
manured with acid phosphate and kainit
and good quantity OF manure from tho
COW stalls.
Now nv opinion Is that the manure
from the COW stalls was what caused the
trouble but what do you say? The rea-
son | think So IS this: the plants began II
die as soon as they were set in the patch
and / could not get a good stand all the
year and a good many of the potatoes
We're rotten in the ground when l dug
them. I put them in the house and the
balance of them rotted then Since then 7
have made two crops. put them in the
same house and they also rotted- Now I
wish 20 ask YOU II. when potatoes once
rot in house. the germs OF spores from
the rOtteu potatoes left there would en-
danger the next crop put there and cause
them to rOt2 Please give aS much infor-
nation as YOU can ana OD4lSe.
Answer-The causes of pota-oes rottinG
and the most effective means for pre-
venting that result are not vet thorough
" worked out. l. is generally understood
that IL is essential that the potatoes be
stored in such manner as TO keep per
fectly dry and at as nearly uniform tenn
reratIra as possible There are other de-
tails. such as care TO prevent bruising, re-
jectinS cut potatoes. etc. which are also
understood. But after all these precau-
tious have been observed il has been the
experience of many that their pota toes
have rotted notwithstanding. The expert
ment stations have undertaken to in
vesticate the subject. but so far as I
know no method has been yet discovered
which has proven absolutely reliable in
preventing rot.
1t has been found that there are several
different kinds of potato rots, each due to
a specific germ. Among these different
rots are: black rot, dry rot, soft rot and
soil rot. This last. soil rot, 5 one Of the
most common and at the same time most
destructive. The spores of the rot soon
infect the soil Oh which the .otatoeS
grew and the only remedy is to not plant
that soil in potatoes tor Two or three
years. 1t is also believed that stable and
coward manure when applied to the soil
on which a crop of potatoes is 10 be pro-
duced will cause this particular rot as
stable manure is known to produce
.scab' i'm Irish potatoes.
The soft rot seems to be confined TO the
Storeroom or place where the potatoes
have been kept. There is no doubt of the
fact that a species of rot, probably the
soil rot. may develop in the plant bed and
be conveyed from the bed with the slips
10 the field. and there infect the growing
potato and to develop in the storeroom or
hill.
SO my answer to your final (and only
question is that potatoes should not be
bedded on the same ground two years in
succession, nor he stored in the same
bins or s;orerOom unless thoroughly dis
infected (by sulphur fumes). nor planted
on the same land twice in succession. OF
course if the potatoes show no rot dur
ing growth or after storing the above
precautions are not so necessary. but L
would always observe them