The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-06-02
Keeping Potatoes Through the Sum-


Last fall we received and tested a
basket of potatoes which had been
kept at the Florida Experiment Sta
ton by the foreman of the station
farm throughout the rainy season, hav-
ing been grown and harvested on the
station farm at the usual time in the
spring, says the Farmer and Fruit
Grower They were plump and firm,
one could not by pressure with thumb
and fingers produce any indications OF
wrinkling or shrinking.
They had been kept by packing away
in pine straw, putting them in a box,
first a single LAWYER of potatoes, then a
layer of straw, no potato touching an
other. They were placed in hillside
barn opening on the north side, covered
with a layer of pine straw only-the
coolest place that could be found about
the station buildings, but not as cool
as could be found under many farm
house, elevated five or six feet above
the ground and affording a cool and
dark storage.
1t seems probable that the slight res
nous odor of the pine straw had an
antiseptic effect, preventing the lodg-
ment of pernicious activity of the
germs OF decay At any rate, all other
kinds of packing material tested in
this experiment proved deficient in the
virtue possessed by pine straw shat-
tiers.
Experiments with second-crop SEED
potatoes have been conducted for sew
eral years at the North Carolina Elk
pertinent Station, and they have de-
veloped some facts and rules of prac-
tice which may prove useful to Florida
growers.
The tubers when dug should be per-
fectly ripe and should be exposed TO
the light until they have become green
ish in color and spread out on the
ground in a single layer, we'll covered
with pine straw or leaves. The cover
ing should be kept moist continually
and the tubers remain bedded in TINS
way until they begin to sprout.
1t was found that cutting small
pieces from each tuber when bedding
them tends to shorten the time requir-
ed for sprouting, and when treated in
this way the tubers are planted with
out any further cutting.
Planting seedpieces, as practiced in
spring did not prove satisfactory with
summer planting as the stand obtained
was frequently defective. By planting
only those tubers which show signs OF
terminating when taken from the led,
good stand can be secured.
Culls from the early crop sometimes
used as Seed are considered less trust
worthy than the well-ripened tubers.
The time of planting necessarily varies
with the latitude The middle of Au-
gust is considered a good time for
planting in North Carolina. The last
of August would probably be appro-
pirate for Florida ATTITUDES, though it
might be difficult to restrain the
sprouting to a comfortable length ii
the tubers were bedded Immediately
after digging in the spring.
The method of planting and cultiva-
ton is essentially the same as that
known as the Rural New Yorker trench
system. The seed tubers are dropped
in the bottom of deep burrows, cover
ed lightly and fertilizer applied. Some
is also usually placed below them be-
fore dropping the seed. From time to
time, as the plans grow, the soil IS
worked down into them until the fur
rows are filled. The subsequent Gull
tivation should be level. The plants
remain green until cut down by the
frost, and the tubers which are then
dug are immature and keep better than
if they had been mature. 1t is adj
Vised to keep them in a heap in the
open ground, covered with pine straw
and only enough earth to prevent
freezing