The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-07-19
THE STORAGE OF POTATOES.
Use of Pits, Dug-outs and Masonry Stor'
age Houses for Holding the Main
Crop of Potatoes Discussed.

I
crop can be accomplished most satisfac'
torily throughout much of the United
States in the dugout pit or potato cellar
| in some of its various forms of construc'
ton, says a recently published farmers
bulletin of the United States department
of agriculture, Potato Storage and Stor-
age Houses" In general, the bulletin
says, no attempt is made to store pota-
toes of the early crop, since usually they
are sold for immediate consumption.
While the dugout storage house is in
most general use, concrete or masonry
houses with frame superstructures are,
perhaps, most satisfactory in cold eli
mates. In some sections, specially in
the South where drainage is poor, insu-
lated frame structures built entirely
above ground must be depended upon.
Purposes of Storage.
The primary purposes of storage, it is
pointed out, are to protect the tubers
from extremes of heat and cold and
from light. Account also must be taken
of conditions OF humidity and ventila-
ton and of the size of the storage pile.
The temperature should be the highest
at which potatoes can be maintained
firm and ungerminated, and which will
at the same time hold fungous diseases
in check. Experiments of the depart
ment with artifeially refrigerated stor-
age indicate that 80 degrees f. is suffi-
GENTLY low for all practical purposes and
that in the earlier portion of the storage
season temperature of 40 degrees +.
is just as satisfactory as lower one,
except where powdery dry rot infection
occurs
All natural light should be excluded
from potato storage houses, because
when the tubers are exposed TO even
modified light, they are soon injured for
food purposes. A practical rule in regard
to humidity, the bulletin already men
toned says, is to maintain sufficient
moisture in the air to revent the whiting
of the tubers and at the same time to
keep the humidity content low enough to
prevent the deposit of moisture on the
surface OF the tubers.
If potatoes are piled in too large piles
they may become overheated and deteri-
crate. Six feet is a good maximum
depth to which to pile tubers in Bins,
and the area covered by each pile also
should be limited. A good plan is to in.
sert ventilated division walls at inter-
walls through the pile or bin. These
may be made by mailing relatively mar
row boards on both sides of two by four
uprights, oneinch spaces being left be-
tween the boards. General ventilation
for the whole storage house usually is |
accomplished through ventilsting shafts |
in the roof.
Methods of Storage.
The possible ways to store potatoes,
SAYS the bulletin, are pits or earth-cov-
cred piles, in dug pits or potato stor-
age cellars, in insulated wooden struc-
lures, in substantial masonry or concrete
houses. and in artificially refrigerated 1
storage houses. The latter two methods
are the most expensive. FITTING is the
most primitive method of storage, but
i properly done on well-drained loca-
ions is satisfactory in so far as the pres
,rvation of the potatoes is concerned.
The chief drawback to pitting is that
he potatoes are not always easily aces
,ible in the winter.
Potato Storage Cellars.
The dug out pit or potato storage cellar
$ probably more widely used than any
,ther type of storage space. Fitted with
water tight roof, it is especially popular
n the central portions of the United
states. In the arid and semi-arid sec
ions a type with sod or dirt roof is in
most general use. As rule, the excava-
ion for the cheaper structures of the
ug-out pit or cellar type when erected
n level or nearly level land does not ex-
eed three feet. The soil removed from
uch an excavation, particularly II the
ur-out is Of any considerable size, is
mple for banking the side and end walls
nd also for the roof. The cost Of con
truction may be greatly modified. &C
,rdinr TO the character Of the location.
In the cheaper dug-outs, where the soil
, Of such 4 nature - to remain intact,
i allowed 70 form the side and end
.aIls. the roof being supported on plates
-stinr on the soil and held together by
cards or ioists. This form Of construc-
Ion involves a deeper excavation and