Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-11-01
PREVENT POTATO
.WAsTA6E, IS PLEA
Growers Urged to Reduce Loss
Resulting From Use Of Bad
Storage Methods.
EXPERT MAKES SUGGESTIONS
Head q Feed Administration 0ivlslea
Tells How Many Causes Of Dam
aos Can De Elm.
mated.

Washington.-ln order that the
country may benefit 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 10
take every %precaut!on to prevent dam
age to the surplus crop during the
coming winter through improper stor-
age methods. In a statement Just la-
sued, Lou D. Sweet. head Of the po-
tato division Os the food administra.
ton, calls attention to the chief causes
Of wastage and outlines the best stor-
age methods. The statement follows:
ut 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 1t 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 ia
the storage Of potatoes, should know
the chief causes of the wastage. These
causes are:
II. Sweating, heating and conse-
Quent rot: often due to insufficient
ventilation.
80. Rotting, due to potatoes getting
wet ut the time OF putting them In
storage.
"3. Injury from frost.
1T. Decay. owing to disease in the
tubers at the time Of storage.
IS. %Sprouting OF tubers in the
spring.
Losses May Be Reduced.
1T is not possible to prevent alto
gether losses from these causes, hut
by using the best methods Of storage,
1t is possible to reduce them very ma
terially.
This may be done b! taking care to
guard against losses IRON each OF
these causes:
Sweating and heating occur II the
freshly dug potatoes are piled in toe
J large piles, so that the air cannot cir
!. culate between the tubers. The risl
of loss from this cause is greatest II
the fall, Immediately after the tuber!
have been dug, and it is, therefore, i'm
portant that potatoes when dug shoult
not be put in unnecessarily large piles
nor kept in an m-ventilated room.
"If the potatoes at the digging tim
are allowed to get wet and so int
= storage In that condition, rotting !
. sure to occur. BE careful to hav
your potatoes dry before storing.
D "potatoes are easily damaged b.
. frost. II they become frozen, ther
: market value is destroyed. Therefore
take precaution to protect the tuber
from frost before and after digging.
Eliminate Diseased Tubers.
"There are several diseases OF tn
potato which destroy the tuber, and
diseased tubers are mixed with tn
sound ones, the disease spreads raj
idly; therefore. 1t is necessary to sol
the potatoes carefully, eliminating a
Of the disease. the cuts. culls, and dli
before plncing them into perlnaner
storage for the winter. : All Of tn
cuts, culls, misshapen and diseased I,
hers should be fed to the poultry an
live stock. hut should be steamed {
boiled before being fed. rs in this wa
you Increase the food value, and ais
destroy the germs OF the disease.
that 1t will not get into the manu-
and thence into the land.
"By proper ventilation Of the cell
or storage room. and by holding Il
temperature as near IS degrees F.
possible, you can keep the poratO
from sprouting.
"Seed for next years plant,
should be selected from hills that pr
duce all nice. true to type potatot
These should be selected Mt the dl
ging time. and stored separately
crates or boxes, and by storing the
in a well.lighted o where the tel
, perature can be held Mt from "a to
degrees, with a little ventilation Al
this seed planted next spring. t
grower will make a start toward 1
~ proving the quality Of his potatoes,
stead Of ~ In the pnst, simply plai
- Nn0 fha e1,lls nr runOutS."