The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-02-15
May Build MODERN
POTATO HOUSES

Sheldon, N. D, Feb. 1.-THE
growing Of an immense acreage Of
potatoes in the vicinity of Sheldon
Is looked for next season. Many of
the farmers who only had a few acres
last cal are planning on doubling
their acreage this coming season. and
some of them are already talking of
adding extensive machinery equip
ment in form of planters, weeders,
sprayers and diggers, while some Of
these who have raised several acres
during the past few years are plan
ming on erecting improved potato
warehouses Of several thousand
bushels capacity and have them fitted
up with the latest devices for eX-
pcdientiy handling the crop.
1t was plainly visible last fall that
something would have to be lone be-
fore another crop was ready for the
market. as it is almost nigh unto i'm
possible to secure refrigerator cars
last fall, and as the result acre
after acre remained undug for the
reason that they could not get them
on the eastern markets.
w. J. Anderson & Co, of Leonard.
had all the large lots contracted in
this vicinity last fall at a figure that
would have resulted in a profit to
most of the growers, but they were
only able to ship out a couple Of cars
before the car shortage became ap-
parent. This firm is planning on
erecting a warehouse n cold stor-
age plant at Leonard this spring and
when the crop is ready for marketing
next fall, will be able to handle forty
or fifty thousand bushels Of potatoes.
One Of the largest growers in this
vicinity said there was money to be
Tn9na i'm raiginp HnT1dG hitf nrn had
TO have the necessary equipment to
handle them to make them a paying
proposition. In the course of onver-
Sation he let slip that he was seri-
ously thinking of erecting a ware
house of several thousand bushels ca
pacity. He then gave the full de-
tails of his plan and said it would be
time enough for the people to know
who was going to do the erecting
| when the operations were started.
He has paid a visit to several Of
the big potato houses in Clay county,
east of Moorhead, and has fully de-
cided on the type that could be erect
ed here. He said, "in this vicinity
where the ground is well drained so
that there is no danger of water in
the spring an inexpensive potato cell
lar may be made by merely excavat-
ing a trench five or more feet deep,
eight or ten feet wide and as long as
needed to secure to required capa-
city. Scantling or poles can be used
for rafters. The ends of the rafters
should butt against a board or plank,
| placed in a trench along either side
of the cellar, to hold them in place.
The roof should be given a pitch
merely sufficient to shed water and
to insure sufficient strength. The
boards covering the roof may be spac-
ed an inch or more apart so as to
save lumber and any cheap boards or
slabs not suitable for building pur-
poses may be used. This roof should
be covered with earth to a depth of
eighteen inches, placing firm sod on
top. In this way both cold and
moisture are effectively excluded.
Small cutters or bitches should be
dug along either side to carry away
the water shed by the roof. Trap
doors large enough to permit the
passing Of a sack should be convent
emily arranged in the roof for filling
and emptying the cellar. These
openings must be filled with straf or
burlap, with a board covering on top,
during winter. A round sheet iron
ventilator, from eight to twelve inches
in diameter provided with a cover
for closing when necessary should
be placed in the ridge of the root
to insure adequate ventilation. A
Thermometer suspended by a string
through the ventilator will be founo
convenient for ascertaining the tenn
perature OF the cellar without the
necessity of entering and in case The
Thermometer indicates danger OF
freezing, the ventilator may be closed
During severe weather Ii it should BIZ
found necessary, a lighted lantern
may be lowered and suspended BY j
string from the ventilator,
In a few more years at best these
houses will be a common sight OF
every farm, and this will largely az
the fall, as the case lis now, and as
the result potato prices will be con.
siderable higher.