Bogalusa enterprise. [volume] (Bogalusa, La.) 1914-1918, 1916-01-06

! VIII 10 Out Cement llOOT IS llluCil
more satisfactory and the amount
of potatoes it will save from rats
will soon pay the cost. If a wooden
floor is used, however, and built
about three feet from the ground,
tin tubs could be inverted over
pillars before the sills are put on, to
keep out the rats.
The potatoes must be dug at as
dry time as possible. Handle them
carefully so as not to bruise them,
Put the cut ones to themselves;
small potatoes on the bottom shelves
and large ones on top shelves. This
| is done because it takes those on
| the bottom shelves longer to dry.
HOW TO HEAT THE HOUSE.
For a house the size of the one
indicated above, place large stove
in the center of the room for heat
ing purposes. Coal or wood stoves
keep heat we'll and are cheaply
operated. Heat the room to 100
degrees temperature by shutting the
doors and windows. Open the tram
som in ventilating shaft. Make a
small vent hole four by ten inches
under the door for intake to create
a circulation Of air. The stove
should be started as soon as the
first potatoes are put in SO they will
begin drying at once before they
rot. The rot-germ cannot live IN
dry potatoes-hence the necessity
of keeping the stove going. The eX-
cess moisture should be taken out
of the potatoes as quickly as pos
sible. 1t takes about 10 days or
two weeks to dry a house full of
potatoes, with the thermometer reg
isterinG 100 degrees. Fire until
bedtime and then begin early in the
morning. kf.er all are dry, stop the
heat, open the windows and doors
and keep potatoes cool as possible
without allowing them to freeze. A
temperature Of 40 to go degrees is
about right. No more heat will be
needed all winter in southern
climate unless the extremely damp
atmosphere of a long rainy season
condenses the moisture enough to
start the rot If so, heat the house
for two or three days until dry
again. In freezing weather MIR,
Beeson says, all doors to the house,
and windows should be close but do
not fail to ventilate again when the
weather moderates.
THE HOUSE COSTS LITTLE.
Mr.. Beeson says he has bought
potatoes that were rotting, dried
them out and stopped the rotting-
made good, salable potatoes out of
them; but he does not advise prac.
ticing this method; it is too much
risk.
A dry-absolutely dry-house is
what is needed for caring for sweet
potatoes. One can be cheaply built
of lumber. Rough lumber will do,
but brick or stone is better. A far
mer could easily build one of pine
poles and doub it up with mud to
make it alright But this way, if
on high and dry soil where no floor
would have to be built, it would
doubly pay for itself in one season.
Mr.. Beeson has sweet potato
growing down pat He can grow
them any size he wants. The mar
kets offer more for small potatoes
than large ones, therefore he grows
mostly small ones. He regulates
the size in the planting. Set the
slips close together if small ones
are wanted; about II inches apart
He plants them flat and cultivates
them frequently. Plow once a
week. Manure should be distribute
ed broadcast If commercial ferti-
lizer is used, put it by the side of
the plants after they have been set
I