Williams news., 1917-11-15
Food Administration Seeks to Reduce Annual Wastage
 in Potatoes.
SMALL GROWERS WARNED
Much of Loss From Sweating, Disease, Frost and Other Causes Can Be Prevented, Declares
 Expert.


 potato crop of the United States is wasted every year through the exist ence of bad storage conditions. The government food administration is de termined that this loss shall be re duced this year, when every bushel o1 potatoes will be needed by the people of this country. In order to secure the adoption of the best storage meth ods by the small growers of the coun- try, Lou D. Sweet, head of the potato division of the food administration, has issued the following statement: ''It is of great importance that all the potatoes raised this year should be stored under proper conditions. Even when every precaution is taken the wastage of potatoes during the winter is considerable; under bad con- ditions of storage it is very great in- deed.
 "1n order that the best methods may be adopted by the small growers, those who have not had the experience in the storage of potatoes, should know the chief causes of the wastage. These causes are:
 q. Sweating, heating and conse-
 
 ventilation.
 ''2. Rotting, due to potatoes getting wet at the time of putting them in storage.
 "3. Injury from frost.
 A. Decay, owing to disease in the tubers at the time of storage.
 "5. Sprouting of tubers in the spring.
 Losses May Be Reduced.
 .'It is not possible to prevent alto gether losses from these causes, but by using the best methods of storage, 1t is possible to reduce them very ma terially.
 ''This may be done by taking care to guard against losses from each of these causes:
 Sweating and heating occur if the freshly dug potatoes are piled in too large piles, so that the air cannot cir culate between the tubers. The risk of loss from this cause is greatest in the fall, immediately after the tubers have been dug, and it is, therefore, i'm portant that potatoes when dug should not be put in unnecessarily large piles, nor kept in an ill-ventilated room.
 'f the potatoes at the digging time are allowed to get wet and go into storage in that condition, rottihg is sure to occur. Be careful to have your potatoes dry before storing.
 Potatoes are easily damaged by frost. If they become frozen, there market value is destroyed. Therefore, take precaution 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 if diseased tuberS are mixed with the sound ones, the disease spreads rap- idly; therefore, it is necessary to 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, misshapen 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, so that it 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 35 degrees F. as possible, you can keep the potatoes from sprouting.
 "Seed for next years planting should be selected from hills that pro- duce all nice, true to type potatoes. These should be selected at the dig ging 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 34 to 40 degrees, with a.little ventilation and this seed planted next spring. the grower will make. a start toward inn proving the quality of his potatoes, in- stead of as in the past, simply plant ing the culls or runouts."