Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-09-20
STORAGE OF POTATOES.
Use Of Pits, Dugouts and Masonry
Storage Houses For Holding Crop.

- VI T'kS, SoSSoSe oHS "oSSthy
Storage Houses For Holding Crop.
Washington, Sept. 20.-The storage
of potatoes OF the main crop can be
accomplished most satisfactorily thru
out much OF the United States in the
dugoutt pit or potato cellar N some
Of its various forms OF construction,
says a recently published bulletin OF
the United States department Of agrt-
culture. Potato Storage and Storage
Houses" In general the bulletin says,
no attempt is made to Store potatoes
of the early crop, since usually they
are sold for immediate consumption.
While the dugout storage house Is in
most general use, concrete or masonry
houses with frame superStructures are,
perhaps, most satisfactory in cold eli
mates. In some sections. especially In
the south where drainage is poor, in
Sulated frame structures built entirely
above ground must be depended upon
, The primary purposes OF storage, II
is pointed out, are to protect the tu-
bers from extremes OF heat and cold
and from light. Account also must be
ventilation and of the size Of the stor-
age pile.
The temperature should be the high
est at which potatoes can be main
tanned firm and ungerminated and
which Will at the same time hold fun
gous diseases in check. Experiments
OF the department with artidcially re-
Trigerated storage indicate that SO de-
grees F. is sufficiently low for all prac-
tici purposes and that in the earlier
portion Of the storage season a tenn
perature of 40 degrees F. is just as
satisfactory as a lower one except
where powdery dry rot infection occurs
All natural light should be excluded
from potato storage houses because
when the tubers are exposed to even
modified light, they are soon injured TO-
food purposes. A practical rule in re-
gard 10 humidity, the bulletin already
mentioned says, Is to maintain suffi-
cient moisture in the air to prevent
the whiting Of the tubers and at the
same time to keep the humidity con-
tent low enough to prevent the deposit
of moisture on the surface of the
tubers.
If potatoes are piled in too large
piles they may become overheated and
deteriorate. SIX feet Is good maxi.
mum depth to which to pile tubers in
bins. and the area covered by each
pile also should be limited. A good
plan Is TO insert ventilated division
walls at intervals thru the pile or bin.
These may be made by mailing rela-
lively narrow boards on both sides Of
2x4 uprights, one-inch spaces being
left between the boards. General ven
tilation for the whole storage house
usually is accomplished thru ventilat-
ing shafts in the roof.
The possible ways to store potatoes
says the bulletin, are pits or earth
covered piles, IN dugout pits or potato
storage cellars, in insulated wooden
structures, in substantial masonry or
concrete houses, and in artificially re-
frigerated storage houses. The latter
two methods are the most expensive
Pitting is the most primitive method
OF storage, Dut il properly done On
well drained locations is satisfactory
insofar as the preservation Of the po-
tatoes is concerned. The chief draw
back to pitting is that the potatoes are
not always easily accessible in the
winter.
The dugout pit or potato storage cell
lar Ks probably more widely used than
any other type Of storage space. Fitted
with water-tight roof 1t is especially
popular in the central portions OF the
United States. In the arid and semi
arid sections type with sod or dirt
roof is in most general use. AS a rule,
the excavation for the cheaper struc-
lures OF the dugout pit Or cellar type
when erected on level or nearly level
land does not exceed three feet. This
soil removed from such an excavation,
mart icnlarly IL the dugout is of any
considerable size, is ample for banking
the side and end walls and. also for the
roof. The cost Of construction may he
greatly modified, according to the
character of the location.
In the cheaper dugouts. where the
son Is Of such nature as to remain