Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-07-17
KEEPING SWEET POTATOES.

hEfSHING SN EEL
The sweet potato must now be re-
Earded as one of our most important
food crops. 1T grows par excellence in
virtually all sections of the state. 1t
is adapted for cultivation on our light
sandy soils and does we'll even on our
heaviest clays. Relatively speaking, 1T
makes a good yield even under indif-
ferent treatment. 1t provides a good
substitute for the Irish pOtato, is cas-
lily propagated and raised, and there
fore, should be depended upon to sup
ply the greater part of the carhohy-
drates required i'm the daily ration of
our people. careful survey of the
sNation indicates that so per cent of
the sweet potato crop now rots This
is a loss which we never could afford
to sustain even in the most prosperous
times, but now in the face of a great
war when economy becomes essential
on account OF high prices and scarcity
of food supplies, We must of necessi-
ty save and preserve the potato crop
In times past the method Of hand
ling the sweet potato has been to bSnR
it in the garden or field. This plan has
proven both expensive and exceedingly
wasteful. There is an impression that
the sweet potato crop is difficult to
keep and that we must count on
large percentage of loss. There Is no
real foundation in fact, however, for
this conclusion. In order to keep
sweet potatoes successfully, they
should not be dug until they are we'll
matured. Then they should be ham
died very carefully because they bruise
so easily Injury to the skin or bruises
will result in the decay Of the potato
They should be we'll dried or cured aft
err they have been put into the house
for storage. To affect a proper cure
they must be kept at uniform tenn
perature for some days after they are
placed In the storage house. If far
mer will take the precautions lndicat-
ed. he can keep potatoes with high
degrees of success. II he is rot willing
to do this, il will be waste OF time
for him to build such a structure.
Sweet potato storage houses of va
tious kinds may be built, but wood will
prove TO be the most satisfactory ms
terial to use. This is because 1t is
irier than brick or concrete. dug
out will never prove satisfactory as
sweet potato storage house. A good
house should be IL or is inches above
the ground so as TO permit air to cir
cAlate freely under it. A structure
should be erected OF sufficient size to
meet the requirements of the 1amlly'
A house 20x4O feet will have a ca
pecity of $500 to 5000 bushels. Adj
dItionsl units may be built on where
potatoes are grown commercially ana
there is necessity for more storage
space. A house of the size mentioned
can be built under ordinary conditions
al a cost of about 1915, or IL IL cents
per bushel of capacity. II the house
Is properlv constructed and the crop
handled with any degree of skill, it
should pay for itself the first year 1t -
used.
In building a house of the size sug-
pested first select a level site which
is easy of access and relatively close TO
the farm buildings. Build three rows OF
brick pillars is inches above the ground.
They should be we'll set into the ground
so as to provide a firm foundation.
Two rows of pillars should be along the
side of the house and one through the
center. Use 6xS or SKIS stills on top OF
the nillars. Place 2x8 or 2x1O sleepers
"a inches apart on the stills. For tloor
use ship lap or matched boards. Next
nut down a layer of building paper ana
then another layer OF matched flooring
In building the house use 2X4 studolhs
set "a inches apart. On the outside put
laver of ship lap, then layer OF
building paper, and finally layer OF
Notwithstanding. On the inside put TWO
LAYERS IF ship lap and between them
a layer OF building paper. the lnsloe
wall should cover not only the studolns'
but the rafters as we'll. In other woruS'
II should run to the apex OF the insiue
of the roof Remember that the Inside