Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-07-21
|DUGOUTS GOOD
FOR STORAGE
Use of Pits, Dugouts and Ma
sonry Storagehouses Are
Discussed

Washington. d. C.--The storage OF
| potatoes of the main crop can be ac-
complished satisfactorily throughout
much OF the Untted States in the dug
out pit or potato cellar in some of it:
various forms of construction. says
recently published Farmers Bulletin
! OF the United States Department of
Agriculture, "P3rato Storage and
Storage Houses" In general, the
bulletin says, no attempt is made to
store potatoes of the early crop, since
usually they are soi1 for Immediate
consumption.
While the dugout storage house is
in most general use. concrete OF ma
sonry houses with frame supers.lLc-
lures are. perhaps. NEST satisfactory
in cold climates. In some sections,
especially i'll the South. whera drain
age is poor. insulated frame stritc-
lures built entirely above ground
must be depsudcd upon.
Purposes of Storage
The primary PURPOSES of storage. it
is jointed out, are 20 protect the tu-
bers from extremes OF heat and cold
and from light. Account also must
be taken of conditions of humidity
and ventilation and of the size IF
the storage pile.
The temperature should be the
highest ct which Potatoes can be
maintained firm and ungerm!nated,
and which will at the same time hold
fungus diseases w check. Expert
ments of the department with sTti-
ficially refrigerated storage Indicate
that SO degrees Fahrenheit is suffi-
ciently low for All practical pur-
poses and that in ths earlier portion
OF the storage scoson n tempers ture
of 40 degrees Is just as satjsfa ctory
as lower one eNcspt where poWdery
dry rot infection occurs.
All natural light should be exclud-
ed from potato storage houses be-
cause when the tubers are exposed
to even modified light. they are soon
injured for 20 ID purp )sAs. y prac-
.tical rule IN regard to humidity, the
bulletin already mentioned says, is
to maintain sufficient moisture in the
air to prevent the whiting of the tu-
bers and at the same time to keep
the humidity content low enough to
prevent the deposit OF moisture en-
the surface nf the tubcrs.
II potatoes ;l.e piled in too large
piles they may become oVerheated
and deteriorate. Six feet is a good
maximum depth to which to pile tu-
bers in bins. and the area covered by
each pile also should be limited. A
good plan is 10 insert ventilated 6ivi-
sion walls at intervals through the
pile or bin. These may be made by
mailing relatively narrow boards on
both sides Of 2X4 upr; ghts, one itch
space being left between the boar ds.
General ventilation for the whole
storage house usually is accom-
rilshed thr IIgh ventilating shafts
in the roof
Methods of Storage
The possible ways to store potatoes.
says the bulletin, are pits or earth
covered piles, in dugout pits or po-
tato storage cellars, in insulated
wooden structures, in substantial ma.
sonry or concrete houses. and in arti-
ficially refrigerated storage houses.
The latter two methods are the most
expensive. Pitting is the most primi-
tive method of storage. but If prop
erly done on well-drained locations
is satisfactory insofar as the preser-
walton of the potatoes is concerned
The chief drawback to pitting is that
the potatoes are not always easily
accessible in the winter.
Potato Storage Cellars
The dugout pit or potato storage
cellar is probably more widely useo
than any, other type of storage space
Fitted with watertight roof, 1t is