The Garland City globe. (Garland, Utah) 191?-1925, 1917-10-25
GROWERS URGED TO
SAVE POTATO CROP
Reduce Wastage From Bad
Storage Methods, Food Ad-
miniStration's Plea.
ADVICE GIVEN BY EXPERT

Wnshington.-In an effort TO dlmln-
ISM the wastnge Of potatoes which re.
SUITS every year from the use of i'm
proper storage methods. Lou d. Sweet.
head OF the potato division of the Unit
ed states food administration. has is-
sued a statement outlining the meth.
Gus mat should be adopted by the
small grower to prevent loss. His
statement Is as follows:
1T Is of great Importance that all
the potatoes raised this year should
ne stored under proper conditions.
Even when every precaution Is taken
the wastnge of potatoes during the
winter Is considerable; under bad con.
ultions of storage It Is very great in.
decd.
IN order that the best methods may
De adopted by the small growers, those
VINO nave not had the experience in
the storage Of potatoes, should know
the chief causes Of the wastage. These
causes are:
i. sweating, heating and conse-
quent rot: often due to insufficient
ventilation.
Rotting, due to potatoes getting
wet ut the time Of putting them in
storage.
". Injury from frost.
u. Decay owing TO dIsense in the
tubers ut the time of storage.
-. Sproutlng OF tubers in the
spring.
Losses May Be Reduced.
1T Is not possible to prevent aIto-
gether losses from these causes, but
by using the best methods OF storage,
IL Is possible to reduce them very ma.
terlally.
This may be done by taking care 10
guard against losses from each of
these causes:
Sweating and heating occur IL the
freshly dug potatoes are piled in too
large piles 50 that the air cannat cir
culntc between the tubers. The risk
or loss from this cause is greatest in
the fall, Immediately after the tubers
have been dug, and Il Is, therefore, Inn
portant that potatoes when dug should
not be put In unnecessarily large piles,
nor kept in an ill-ventIlated room.
IF the potatoes Mt the digging time
are allowed TO get wet and 60 into
storage In that condition, rotting is
sure To occur. BE careful to have
your potatoes dry before storing.
Potatoes are easily damaged by
frost. II they become frozen, there
market value Is destroyed. Therefore,
take prccautlon to protect the tubers
from frost before and after digging.
Eliminate Diseased Tubers.
There are several diseases OF the
potato which destroy the tuber, and IL
diseased tubers are mixed with the
sound ones, the disease spreads rap
idly; therefore, IL Is necessary 10 sort
the potatoes carefully, eliminating all
OF the disease, the cuts, culls, and dirt
before placing them into permanent
storage for the winter. All OF the
cuts, culls, mlsshapen and diseased tu-
bers should be fed TO the poultry and
live stock, but should be steamed or
boiled before being fed, as In this way
YOU Increase the food value, and also
destroy the germs OF the disease, 50
that IL will not get into the manure
and thence into the land.
"By proper ventilation OF the cellar
or storage room. and by holding the
temperature as near 30 degrees u. as
possible, you can keep the potatoes
from sproutlng.
"Seed for next years planting
should be selected from hills that pro-
duce all nice, true to type potatoes.
These should he selected ut the dig
glng time, and stored separately in
crates or boxes, and by storing them
In a well-lIghted room where the tenn.
perature can be held at from "a TO 40
degrees, with a little ventilation and
this seed planted next spring, the
grower will make n start toward Inn
proving the quality Of his potatoes, In
stead Of as In the past, simply plant
ing the culls or runouts."