The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1914-10-23
SHOES OF Eyerykind for Everybody
cost less AT PIERCE'S. tf-s-lS
STORING OF THE
SWEET POTATO CROP.

For the benefit Of your readers, says
a correspondent TO Home and Farm, l.
Will try to tell in n plain, farmer-like
way, how 10 keep sweet potatoes.
To keep sweet potatoes well and in
good condition, they must he well ma
tured before they are dug, carefully
handled. well dried or cured before they
are stored, and kept at a uniform tenn
perature of so to 80 degrees during the
time they are being cured, and reduC-
Ing the temperature gradually to IS
degrees after the potatoes are cured.
To keep sweet potatoes well the tu-
beers should be dug, II possible. before
the vines are killed by the frost Han
die them carefully, avoid bruisng and
cutting. place them in the baskets as
picked up, carry the baskets to the
storehouse, and empty them carefully
into a box, barrel or fnal receptacle,
II the potatoes are to be kept in large
quantities a house should be built for
this purpose above the ground, with
walls very warm to keep out frost and
save fuel. Erect bins to hold so to 100
bushels, four to six feet deep ..T .. g..
These bins should bc elevated a foot
above the floor, and leave space Of
N'N'l"l lilNl'N h'N"''ll .All' bAll anu
wall on every side. make bottom and
sides uf bin tight to exclude air There
should he at least one veutilatUr in the
roof above to allow the steam to pass
on readily From the time Of storing
until cold weather, give plenty Of ven.
tilation, Keeping slow steady fire in
the middle of the room to drive out
the dumpncss, .. ..... i
The most critical time is when the
potatoes are going through what is
called the process Of sweating, ard
at this time. they need very close at
tcntion and proper ventilation, When
cold weather sets In close up tightly
and keep steady temperature Of about
Go degrees. .'. -
After having gone through the
Sweating process, the potatoes may
be covered with dirt sod or blankets,
20 keep them from ,shrivelng by con
tact with the hot air from the stove.
"A slow. steady ire Is continually nee
cssary when the weather is moder-
ate the temperature may be modified
by opening the doors,
BY this method ! have Kept sweet
potatoes through the winter and sold
them In thenCity markets in the spring,
after they had experienced as cold
weather as We ever have in the Ohio
valley
In order to keep sweet potatoes sue
cessfully ! have found three things
essential: first, they must be stored as
soon M dug, or very soon after sec
ond they must be kept AT an even
temperature Of IS to 60 degrees, third,
they must have a dry atmosphere.
Sweet potatoes may be kept usually
in any ordinary dwelling house or
room where there is fire during the
day, by observing the proper methods
Procure good, sound, tight barrels
tnever salt or sugar barrels; dry the
barrels thoroughly IN the sun and wind,
and tighten the hoops well. Get good,
sound potatoes, Just dug fresh from
the ground. Pack the potatoes care
FUZZY in the barrels without bruisiug
the potatoes, and place the barrels in
corner Of a room or basement, where
there is fire every day. Cover the
potatoes with paper, and over the pa
per place layer of garden soil an
inch deep. You must understand that
this room or basement must never get
cold enough To freeze, After doing
this II Is best TO let the potatoes alone,
carefully taking out the tubers you
wish to use from time to time, then
carefully replacing the cover. | will
say here that the smaller potatoes keep
better than the larger ones therefore
IL is best to select the medium size tu-
bers for those you wish to keep the
longest and use the largest first
There is safe rule ! have used for