The Keota news. (Keota, Weld County, Colo.) 1911-1922, 1917-09-07
Production Of Country Placed at
!. $4,000, 900 Bushels.
Necessary % Begin Prsparatle" 81
Crop Tor Storage Before ot 10
acknowledgements BY
Missouri Expert

tOu u ono crop NJ Ie1ot. Inc OolteO
States department of agriculture. In
the bureau Of crop estimates report for
July. estimated the potato production
Of the country at 452 600. 900 bushels.
The production last year was estimated
In December at 285. 4S7 900 bushels.
This II an increase Of more than 50
per cent. Now that the potatoes have
been produced 1t 10 necessary to pre-
serve them for use until next years
crop IL harvested. w. 81. Lawrence Of
the University Of Missouri College Of
Agriculture offers the following suS-
gestions for storing the potatoes. It
IL necessary to begin preparation Of
the crop for storage before It II ma
tured.
1. Examine the fields while the
plants are still green. II any diseased
plants are found or II any plants show
evidence that the tubers are diseased
they should be destroyed Immediately.
The diseased tubers ere the ones
which cause trouble in storage. They
not only rot, but they transmit the dis
ease to adjoining potatoes and cause
them to rot also.
2. Delay harvest until the tops die.
This indicates that the potatoes have
matured a. fully AZ they will.
8. Avoid bruising the tubers or
breaking the skins. Potatoes injured
thus decay rapidly In storage and ~
ually cause adjacent potatoes to de-
cay.
4. After the potatoes are dug they
should be allowed to dry slightly.
which will tougher the skins and elm
mate excess surface moisture.
5. Sort out all bruised. diseased. or
otherwise damaged potatoes before at
tempting to store the crop.
q Cold storage offers the safest
means for holding potatoes. The tenn
perature Of the cold storage room
should be 10 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit
when the potatoes are placed in It.
During the next four to six weeks the
temperature should be reduced to
about IS degrees.
Z. II cold storage II not available,
pitting or banking II the next best
method Of preserving the potatoes. Sc
lect high place In the neld which viii
afford surface drainage Of rainfall. II
possible. locate the pit near . tree or
other shelter where It will be shaded
during the hot hours Of the day. Scoop
out several inches Of soil. down to
solid earth. from an area large enough
to receive the potatoes. Add . layer
Of potatoes about one foot deep each
day. preferably during early morning
when the temperature Of the tubers u
low. Keep the pit covered from day
to day with . tarpaulin or blanket to
exclude dew or rain. The potatoes
should not be piled more than four to
six feet high. When the pit Is finished
It should be covered with q layer Of
straw deep enough to exclude light and
heat. Weight the straw with boards
to prevent the wind from blowing 1t
away. An opening should be left at
the top to provide ventilation and to
permit the escape Of excess moisture
and heat from the pile Of potatoes. It
IL also advisable to cover the pit with
q temporary shed that win turn rain.
g. The pit must be covered with
earth before freezing weather. About
II inches Of soil will be necessary to
protect the potatoes. This soil should
be placed on top Of the straw.
Mr.. Lawrence Gays that he has found
that well-matured potatoes harvested
In August and carefully handled &C.
cording to the foregoing suggestions
I'm knas, 1,nti1 YaidVantnP ar later With