The Elk Mountain pilot., 1917-10-25
PREVENT POTATO
WASTAGE,, IS PLEA
Growers Urged to Reduce Loss
Resulting From Use of Bad
Storage Methods.
EXPERT MAKES SUGGESTIONS
Head Of Food Administration Division
Tells How Many Causes Of DAM
age Can Be EIim-
mated.

mated.
WashingtOn.-In order that the
country may benefit from the large ro-
tatO crop which was raised during the
past season, the United States food
administration is appealing to small
growers throughout the country to
take every precaution to prevent dam
age to the surplus crop during the
coming winter through improper stor-
age methods. In statement just is
sued, Lou ID. Sweet, head of the po-
tatO division of the food administra-
ton, calls attention to the chief causes
Of wastage and outlines the best stor-
| age methods. The statement follows:
1T 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.
in 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:
~. Sweating, heating and conse-
quent rot: often due to insufficient
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.
ut 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 II 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 1t is. therefore, i'm
portant that potatoes when dug should
not be put in unnecessarily large piles
nor kept in an ill-ventilated room.
"If the potatoes at the digging time
are allowed to get wet and go 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 precaution to protect the tubers
from frost before and after digging.
Eliminate Diseased Iubers.
"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. 1t 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
DOIleu DeIOre DeinE Ieu, us III tliS 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 po,ntOes
from sprouting.
"Seed for next years planting
should he selected from hills that pro-
duce all nice, true to type potatoes.
These should be selected Mt the dig
ginE time, and stored separately in
crates or boxes. and by storing them
in n well-lIghted room where the tenn
perature can be held at from "a to 40
degrees. with little ventilation and
this seed planted next spring the
grower will make start toward i'm
proving the quality of his potatoes. In
stead of as in the past, simply plant
ing the culls or runOuts."