Macon beacon., 1917-07-13
prepared by tho United States Depart
ment OF ARr,cultureD

We OT 1OOSE OOEO u
prepared by tho United States Depart
ment OF Agr,cultureJ
Storage In regular storage houses |
the only practicable method Of kccpin
sweet potatoes on commercial scale
a few crates Of potatoes required 70
home use may be stored In the atti
over the house kitchen
Storage In banks and outdoor Gel
lars has been the custom Throughout
the South for great many year. bu
this type Of storage Is being rapidly rc
placed by house storage Very few OF
the potatoes stored IN banks or cellar,
are suitable for market, for those that
do not decay make such poor appear.
hhce ana are of such poor quality that
they are not desirable. The banks are
not economical for storage because too
much lnbor nnd expense nrc necessary
every year to make them, the tcmpcra.
tlrc and moisture in them cannot be
controlled, potatoes cannot be taken
from the banks when the weather Is
cold or the earth Is wet. and potatoes
from banks will decay very quickly up
on removal.
sweet potato storage house may be
constructed Of stone, brick. cement,
hollow tile, logs, or lumber, but to So
cure the best results lumber should be
used. The walls of cement, stone. etc.
are always cold and it Is difficult to
prevent them from becoming wet. It
Is also hard to prevent the collection
or moisture In dugouts and cellars.
The cost Of building Il storage house
Will depend upon the kind of lumber
used and Its price and also upon the
labor available. A 20 by 40 foot house
VIII cost anywhere from $50 to $3.50.
Many houses have been constructed OF
second-grade lumber, farm labor being
used to do the work and the cost has
been very low, In many instances II
has been possible to remodel an old
tenant house, Cr0nary, or shed nt little
expense TO make a very scrvlceable
storage house.
House Construction.
The supports (pillars) for Il house
mny he made Of brick, cement, or
blocks Of wood, and should he nj least
Is inches high and 10 inches in diam
eter There should be three rows of
these supports for house over II feet
wide, one row under each side of the
house and one row under the middle.
ON these supports are placed the sllls
6 by S inchCs) and across the stills are
rlnced the sleepcrs G. by 10 inchcs).
The wAlls Of the house are construct
ed by setting by 4 or . by G studding
on the Sills every . feet, and Mt the
top of these nre spiked the plates G by
4 inches). On the outside of the stud
ding Is nailed n layer of rough boards
laid dingonally to help brace the wall
and over these boards Il layer of build
ing paper. then the drop siding. On
the inside Of the studding are laid
rough boards, then Il layer of building
paper and over this Il layer of matched .
lumber, The wall constructed In this !
consists of two air-Hght walls |
a dead-air space. This type
Of wall Is more satisfactory than a /.
wall Hllcd with sawdust or shavIngs,
FOR these materials soon collect mois- .
fure and the walls decay.
The roof Of the building is construct. .
ad In the same manner as any house .
roof, with rafters, rough boards over
The rafters, then building paper. and |
asst the roofing. This roofing may he
sheet Iron, roofing paper, or shingles.
The floor Of the house Is constructed /
BY laying rough boards across the
'leepers, then layer of building paper
S laid over the rough boards, and
Matched flooring Is laid on the build.
ng paper. The matched flooring Is
Usually laid crosswise Of the house.
The ceiling Is sometimes made by
2 by 4 girders across on top
II the cave plates and on the under.
ide OF these building paper and
Matched ceiling lumber are nailed. A
much better ceiling may be made by
falling building paper and matched
eiling lumber on the underslde OF the
alters to about two thirds of the way
o the ridge Of the house and then
cross on by IS, as mentioned above.
The windows for storage house
hould be located about . feet from
be floor, and they should open out
ard. Some of the windows should
q of glass, so as to allow the entrance
light when needed without opening
le house. All window openings, even
lose containing glass sash, should be
tied with well-battened shutters to
rotect the potatoes from cold and
oisture.
Necessary Ventilation
II is essential that house be thor
lghly ventilated when necessary, and
r this purpose ventllators are con- '
ructed in the roof and openings
ade In the floor The outlets through
e roof may be constructed by mailing
10 S-inch and two 10-inch boards tC- !