Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1917-11-01
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.

CouulTy may dement, from the large pO-
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 D. 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:
| 81. 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.
SO. 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.
SIT is not possible to prevent alto
frnrr hv1f
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, Inn
portant that potatoes when dug should
not be put in unnecessarily large piles,
nor kept in an ill-ventilated room.
eff 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. 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 OF
, boiled before being fed, as in this way
you increase the food value, and also
destroy the germs of the disease, sc
r that it will not get into the manure
, and thence into the land.
"By proper ventilation of the cellar
f or storage room, and by holding the
? temperature as near 80 degrees F. as
v possible, you can keep the poratoe:
e from sprouting.
q '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 ii
crates or boxes, and by storing then
: In well-lighted room where the tenn
:, perature can be held at from "a to A
degrees, with little ventilation ant
this seed planted next spring, tn
grower will make a start toward i'm
I proving the quality of his potatoes, in
. stead of as in the past, simply plant
;. ing the culls or runoutS."
),