The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1917-08-14
Practical Lessons
in Spud Storage
Object Lessons Given BY the State
Agriculturalist, T.. II. Bennett and
County Agent Donald Mclean.

At the instigation of the County
Farm Bureau and Mr.. Mcdonald,
county agent, the subject of farm stor-
age of potatoes has of late been
brought prominently to the front. In
the light of the shortage of railroad
transportation facilities, present and
prospective, the reasons for this are
obvious. Having at no great expense
a place where potatoes can be safely
kept, the farmers can protect him
self; and from many such places a
train could be loaded on a given day,
should the necessity arise.
The last issue of the TIMES, August
9th, published in full the detailed di-
rections. Mr.. Bennett gives for the
construction of such cellars. Yester-
day a party of twenty or more farm
ers were assembled by Mr.. Mclean
and visited a number of cellars, part
ly on farms and partly for commercial
service, and heard the criticisms and
suggestions of Mr.. Bennett given di-
rect application. The first visited vas
that of Mr.. A. G.. Rutherford, two
miles east on the Kimberly road. This
was a practical one, home made and
used successfully last year. It's di-
mansions are 25-x32 feet; roof 9 feet
at CCillCl anu y dl SlutS, IL lIlllG over
three feet is below the ground level,
sides and top are covered with earth,
there are three chutes on each side
and a wagon door in front; it cost
$125 and will store $500 sacks of DO
tatoes.
Following this a visit was made to
the w. M. Shotwell farm about two
miles northwest of town. The cellar
there, by reason of being quite deep
and affording less opportunity for eff
fective ventilation, was less favor
ably commented on in these respects
than some others, though a good place
to keep spuds.
From this place, the delegation pro-
ceeded to the AL Page ranch, where
there are two immense cellars. The
new n is ~splendidly ventilated and
will hold about 1900 sacks of spuds.
Ventilation is secured best by having
openings at both ends and by having
means for absorbing moisture over
head. The most feasible way is to
dig the cellar a reasonable depth, sc
that the difficulty in getting to the
) floor is not too great, and COVERING
with hog wire, over which are puf
willows, followed by a thick layer o.
straw and this by a dirt covering. This
sort of covering absorbs moisture
readily. Everything in the Page eel
lar was bone dry and, as in all cases
t of the kind it could be used for the
| storage of many other articles, al
though this one was not so used. Mr.
= Bennett dwelt on two points, one tn,
necessity of heavy timbers to proven
I sagging and the other the placing o
uprights on stone or cement bases
He suggested that the Page cellar wa,
slightly deeper than necessary, though
the methods of ventilation we're S,
, good that it's condition in that respec
vas fine.
/ AT this point lunch was announce,
and the men in the wagons dug on
a splendid feed from baskets, inviting
the Times representative to join in.
+; The names of the party were takei
before the luncheon and besides tn
demonstrators and the representa-
tive of this paper, they were Mr.. an,
I Mrs. Fred S. Barrett and Mr.. and Mrs
David w. Kassens, from Wendell, ant
the following from different parts o
r the southside tract: T. T. Green
c algh, c. s.. Musser, L. c. Otto. Johl
Musser, c. w. Griggs, J. q. Shotwell
9 e. T. Sandmeyer, E. w. Graybill, E. {
Tfcknor. John Sipkins, Elmer Amar
n ! E. n. Gish, Stewart SeverRs, E. N