The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1917-07-20
POTATO STORAGE ON THE FARM
BY E. R. Bennett

by II. II. bennetL
The Idaho potato crop cannot all
go on the market at digging time.
A part of the crop must be held
for delivery during the winter and
spring. Again the supply of seed
potatoes must be kept over for next
years planting.
This question of how to hold po-
tatoes after harvest time is to many
growers serious problem. Potatoes
in pits covered with straw and earth,
in cellars under buildings, and in
storage cellars or "dug-outs." The
first method is cheaper to begin with
but inefficient and in the end the
most expensive. Potatoes stored in
pits are hard to get at unless left
there until settled weather in spring,
but the greatest difficulty with pitted
potatoes is that the grower never
knows whether they are heating,
keeping well or freezing during the
winter. Last winter one man in the
Twin Falls district lost enough po-
tatoes from freezing in one pit to
pay for the construction of mod
ern cellar that would hold 10000
sacks of potatoes. The loss in the
state from this cause was many thou
sands of dollars.
Cellars under buildings have sew
eral objections. The capacity Is
limited, the space is unhandy to get
at, temperature and humidity are
difficult to control, and. ventilation
is usually poor.
The Potato '.Dug- Out
The potato storage dug-out is un-
questionably the simplest and most
efficient way of storing potatoes.
The dug-out Is not an invention but
rather the RESULT Of growth or de-
velopment from the older system of
pitting potatoes. 1t is the result of
almost SO years experience in stor-
ing potatoes in the west, and, as
now constructed, is typically west
ern institution.
In spite of the high cost of labor
and materials, many potato growers
in Idaho are contemplating the build
ing of dug-outs this summer. A
careful study of the subject shows
that a properly constructed dug-out
is the most efficient and cheapest
storage space on the farm, both for
winter and summer use and for other
things as well as potatoes. Mistakes
in construction of the dug-out are
and hard to remedy, hence
it is wise to make careful work
ing plan before starting the work.
Some Hints for Building a 'Dug-Out"
The following suggestions. tho
brief, are points of vital Importance
that have been taken from the ex-
perience of the most successful po-
tato growers of the west:
Locate the cellar on level land or
thru a knoll. Never set into hill
side. Select well drained location.
Excavate to sufficient depth so as
to have soil for covering top and
ends-three feet will usually be suf-
ficient.
Side walls are usually required.
either post or stone.
Make provision for light in cellar
by sufficiently large ventilatins
shafts.
Make vestibule long enough to
leave no stopping driveway outside.
A large cellar should have drive
way thru it with doors at each end.
A good roof and double doors, well
fitted, are indispensable.
Tho best roof is made of soil and
straw, not because of cheapness, but
on account of their superior insulat-
ing qualities.
Water proofing over the soil is de-
sirable if the expense is warranted. /
Rafters should be sound poles, 4
inches in diameter at small end, or
2x12 sawed stuff, and set Is inch
centers.
Purlins should be not less than
4x12-6x12 is better.
Posts should be 8 inches at top
and not more than 10 feet between
centers. A 36-foot cellar should
have two rows of posts. A winder
cellar should have four rows of posts
Be sure of good foundation for posts
and walls.
Stat bottoms are desirable for
bins.
The cost of a good potato cellar
should be between 20 to 80 cents per
100 pounds of potatoes.
Each square foot of floor space in
cellar will carry 200 pounds OF po-
,atoes piled feet deep.
A we'll constructed cellar should
asst 10 years without much repair
ng, then by recovering it can again
% made as good as new.
o. d. CENTER,
Director of Extension, University
Of Idaho.