Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1917-09-07
STORING POTATO CROP
Production Of Country Placed at
452,000,0OO Bushels.
Necessary to Begin Preparation of
Crop for Storage Before 1t Is
Matured-Suggestion by
Missouri Expert.

Farmers of the country have done
their share in increasing the produc-
ton of one crop at least. The United
States department of agriculture, In
the bureau of crop estimates report for
July, estimated the potato production
of the country at 452,000,O0O bushels.
The production last year was estimated
in December at 2S5, 437, 900 bushels.
This is an increase of more than So
per cent. Now that the potatoes have
been produced it is necessary to pre-
serve them for use until next years
crop is harvested. w. III. Lawrence of
the University of Missouri College of
Agriculture offers the following sug-
gestions for storing the potatoes. 1t
is necessary to begin preparation of
the crop for storage before it is ma
tured.
1. Examine the fields while the
plants are still green. If any diseased
plants are found or If any plants show
evidence that the tubers are diseased
| they should be destroyed Immediately.
The diseased tubers are the ones
/
not only rot, but they transmit the dis
ease to adjoining potatoes and cause
them to rot also.
2. Delay harvest until the tops die.
this indicates that the potatoes have
matured as fully as they will.
3. Avoid bruising the tubers or
breaking the skins. Potatoes injured
thus decay rapidly in storage and us
ually cause adjacent potatoes to de-
cay.
4. After the potatoes are dug they
should be allowed to dry slightly,
which will tougher the skins and elm
mate excess surface moisture.
5. Sort out all bruised, diseased, or
otherwise damaged potatoes before at
tempting to store the crop.
6. Cold storage offers the safest
means for holding potatoes. The tenn
perature of the cold storage room
should be 40 to As degrees Fahrenheit
when the potatoes are placed in it.
During the next four to six weeks the
temperature should be reduced to
about 80 degrees.
Z. If cold storage is not available,
| bitting or banking is the next best
method of preserving the potatoes. Sc
lect high place in the field which wiz
afford surface drainage of rainfall. If
possible, locate the pit near a tree or
other shelter where it will be shaded
during the hot hours of the day. Scoop
out several inches of soil, down to
solid earth, from an area large enough
to receive the potatoes. Add a layer
of potatoes about one foot deep each
day, preferably during early morning
when the temperature of the tubers is
low. Keep the pit covered from day
TO day with tarpaulin or blanket TO
| exclude dew or rain. The potatoes
! should not be piled more than four to
six feet high. When the pit is finished
| it should be covered with a layer of
! straw deep enough to exclude light and
heat. Weight the straw with boards
to prevent the wind from blowing it
away. An opening should be left at
| the top to provide ventilation and to
permit the escape Of excess moisture
and heat from the pile of potatoes. 1t
| is also advisable to cover the pit with
temporary shed that will turn rain.
If the location is such that surface
water will not drain away readily, dig
shallow ditch around the pit to pro-
vide an outlet so that the water which
runs into it can escape.
s. The pit must be covered with
earth before freezing weather. About
Il inches of soil will he necessary to
protect the potatoes. This soil should
be placed on top of the straw.
Mr.. Lawrence says that he has found
that well-matured potatoes harvested
In August and carefully handled ac-
eording to the foregoing suggestions
will keep until midwinter or later with
very little loss.